Reality twists
by dantemalfoy
Summary: Harry/Draco/Daphne. Draco in Azkaban, plus time-travel. Explores the idea of powerful magic pitted against a nuclear bomb and the implications for the world. Noncon - evil Hermione and Ron. Very ecological use of the Fidelius charm; Dementors abound.
1. Prologue

The characters and the world of Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling.

_And still I dream he'll come to me  
And we will live the years together  
But there are dreams that cannot be  
And there are storms we cannot weather._

_I had a dream my life would be  
So different from this hell I'm living  
So different now from what it seemed  
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed._  
I dreamed a dream_ (Claude-Michel Schönberg; Herbert Kretzmer)_

**5 months after the Epilogue**

It was bitter cold and a great storm was brewing, here in the North Atlantic. The island, hardly more than stark rock, stood seemingly open to the regard of the world, while in reality its deep defenses could withstand a fierce invasion.  
The wards jealously kept the prisoners in check, and what the wards could not do, the Dementors were willing to achieve.

In one of the deep-security cells, a blond man sat dejected. He had very graceful, chiseled features which were marred by a grimace of pain. He had thinning blond hair, the blondest in England  
From out of under his worn-out, threadbare robe, he took out a Wizarding photo and gazed at it lovingly, but the grief would not let him go. It demanded that he do something to assuage it.

He descended deep into grief and rage. The deaths of his parents were awful, but he had endured it, as he had when _he_ turned out to be a soulless bastard. This was something worse. They had taken his son from him and sought to break him, they had effectively killed him, and they were revered by the sodding public!

So deep was his plunge into sadness that he was able to connect with his magic in ways he hadn't been able before. There was an ominous crack in the nearly deserted prison cell, and he intuited that a spell placed on him was broken. He felt more powerful, more alive than ever before. Trouble was, it came too late to save his son.

If he had had his full powers, maybe he could have resisted the lily-white poseur Aurors that came to arrest him, he would've flown the coop with his wife and son. If only… If only he could have read the future.

Grief continued to influence his actions, and bitter desire for revenge. All the sheeple had made up their little minds about him, it seemed. And nothing he did would change their judgment. So years passed, he was a model citizen, and still people would turn up their ugly noses or taunt him in so many ways, for him to end up like this, faced with trumped-up charges and tossed into a cell faster than a speeding broom.

He decided he was tired of it all. The problem lay in the wards of Azkaban. They're specially made to prevent the prisoners from injuring or killing themselves. No matter his new strength, the wards would react.

But then the blond remembered that what the wards could not do, the Dementors could.

He pointed his hand in the direction of the door and_ wandlessly _wished it open, with all his might. The door opened. Then he Summoned a Dementor and it appeared, his power called to the creature and bade it to come closer.  
The blond could see the hideous sight of the Dementor, could smell its stench, could sense the cold and misery it projected, _and he didn't care._

He realized that, awful as its appearance was, there were decidedly worse things to face, like sweet words, spoken by seemingly-sweet persons, which turned out to be machinations. He had often faced utter moral ruin housed in the most noble of visages. Uncaring feelings from people who would be gods, and had to be endured.

Compared to this, a Dementor does not seem so threatening.

As the Dementor approached, the photo fell to the floor, together with newspaper scraps. The photo showed the blond man, sitting across from a lovely blonde woman, and a child sat between them, the mirror image of the man. They faced each other with the circumspection expected of purebloods, but there was no mistaking the warmth and love in their regard. The child had a top-of-the-line broom on his lap, and was obviously thanking his father. The blond just moved his hand, as if denying that it had been that difficult. The woman looked on with deep satisfaction.

The scraps of paper were torn in places, as if the reader had been mad with grief while perusing it and wanted to hit something.

"…. Searches continue for the adopted son of ...", "…. Yesterday the body was found…", and with a neat, precise and pedantic calligraphy, the gleeful annotation: "One less of you to deal with."

The Dementor finally reached the blond, and the man Kissed it eagerly.

tbc


	2. First Twist 1

**3 days after the Final Battle**

The Ministry, after the harrowing fight with Voldemort and the Death Eaters, was dangerously low in funds. They did get considerable money from the war reparations enacted from the most prominent pureblood families who had sympathized with Voldemort, but they wanted more.

They set their sights on the Malfoys. After all, they had the largest assets of the purebloods, and a signal defeat of them would go well towards cementing the reputation of the new Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt.

So after celebrations cooled down a little, they arrested all the Malfoys and had them moved to high-security cells in the Ministry. They agreed on a work plan and proceeded to charge Lucius with murders galore. They stripped him of his position as Lord Malfoy and arranged for Draco to assume that title.

Next they worked on Draco, knowing from witness accounts how he wanted to protect his family. They hinted that they would allow the Malfoys to go free, if all their assets were willingly turned over to the Ministrys control.

At 11:00 AM, after having done their round of threatening statements and sugar-coated promises, the Ministry representatives prepared to go. One said, Above all, its nice to see you get what you deserve, Draco. Youll soon have less than my family. Percy Weasley opened the door and walked out, muttering to a co-worker Yeah, the wards are secure, only Malfoys are allowed free entrance.

Draco despaired of ever seeing his parents, he would willingly give up the fortune if they would live with him. He despaired of having helped Potter. It really didnt matter to their opinion of him.

Draco heard then a slight pop sound, very similar to the Apparition noise, yet highly unique. He turned and watched a man, having approximately his own height. The man had brown hair and hazel eyes, and smirked like a true Slytherin.

The man said, I know what the Ministry twits offered you, and how tempted you are to accept their hellish offer and forswear the familys fortune willingly.

To entertain you in this hour of need, let me offer a story of the future, of_ your_ future.

You accede to their demands and give them full control of the Malfoy assets here and abroad. Malfoy Manor is no longer yours, or any other property. Yet you are glad, hoping that with you and your parents living together, things will settle down.

That doesnt happen. The Ministry reneges on its solemn promise and arrangement, and refuses to release your parents. You are allowed to go free because you were an inexperienced youth, but your parents are sent to Azkaban for life.

The rigors of Azkaban play havoc with their health. Within 8 months of their arrival there, they both died, one after the other.

Meanwhile, you are left destitute, and its only thanks to the kindnesses of true friends that you survived. Due to some obscure law of Voldemorts or whoever, you are forced to take classes on Hogwarts, even though you dont want to.

Needless to say, the school environment is not very friendly. You would have weathered it anyway, but there was a strange rumor running in Slytherin that said you had betrayed Voldemort. As you walked a fine line to avoid precisely this accusation, you are incensed, yet powerless to stop the rumor. Slytherin pranks dog your steps.

Amid this turmoil, amid your schoolmates sneering at you and trying to hex you, to which you must react very carefully, for you have no wand, theres one person who lends a helping hand, apart from your closest friends.

By the way, Ive cast powerful wards that will stop the Ministry from listening in, so everything said here is confidential. Apart from Blaise, Pansy, Daphne and Goyle, a Gryffindor seemingly shows himself to be kind: Harry Potter.

Due to his influence, the attacks abate. He proves to be a source of comfort and someone who can soothe the pain of losing your parents. You talk, really talk, with him and you believe that an understanding is born of this relationship.

The relationship goes from friends to lovers. At first, its everything you could have hoped for, until you invariably notice the put downs, the demeaning comments. He always tops, and what started as sweet and nice soon turns rough and dangerous.

By that time, you had finished at Hogwarts and were trying to find a stable job where someone could look past your history. Unfortunately with little success. You and Harry lived together.

You knew that Harry still saw her, and that knowledge hurt like a knife. You consoled yourself with the idea that he came back to you. One Sunday Harry proclaimed that he would love you till the end of Time. The next Monday, you saw in the front page of the _Prophet_ the announcement of the nuptials of the Boy Who Lived and his sweetheart, Ginny Weasley.

You were irate, and went to spend some days with Pansy. You wanted some revenge, but you knew from bitter experience that if you attacked Potter directly you would lose. When things turned rough and dangerous, that meant that Potter was not above raping you, when you did not put out like he wanted to. You defended yourself valiantly, but inevitably lost.

That was not a reflection on your magical prowess, considering that you are under a spell that binds more than half of your innate magic. Do you trust me to reverse the spell?

Draco briefly considered things. He had a hunch the stranger spoke the truth, and it would be nice to see what he could do. He nodded.

The man intoned, _Catenas nula_ adding swishes and turns like crazy. There was a brief burst of wind that ruffled some pages on the center table, there were also a few bars of the Phoenix song, and the scent of roses lying dormant under the cruel tyranny of Winter.

Draco felt the rush of power, and was convinced the man knew much more than he let on.

The stranger continued, Of course, you might want to know who cursed you and when.

When you were one year and a half, Dumbledore was allowed in the room with you, unsupervised. Dumbles sensed your great power and thought, given your probable allegiances, that you would be a danger for his weapon Potter. He wanted someone who Potter would easily trounce, not the opposite. So he cast the spell.

As things would turn out, a portrait saw him and heard the words of the spell. Years later, you were 9 years old, the portrait finally told you what he saw. Of course you were concerned, and like a little pureblood should do, you went to consult someone who would explain it to you.

But then you were Obliviated of this memory.

Draco asked, Dumbledore?

No, your father! He knew when he left you with Dumbles that he would bind your powers. When you asked him for help, he thought nothing of messing up your mind, as long as he could pretend everything was all right. He obliviated you, moved the portrait, and everything continued as it should be.

You must not trust Lucius! The Ministry, Hogwarts, Potter, your parents, you must play them against each other. Only you can decide.

The Ministry is in a war against the Malfoys because of the actions of your father. He was Voldemorts willing accomplice for years, he blackened the Malfoy name. Worse, he failed at being bad so blatantly, that you were compelled and coerced to follow the Dark Twits steps to save him and your mother.

You must make it so he can not hurt you any more, Draco!

Draco asked, Will you trust my judgment on this?

On this I will trust you, Draco.

But there is another reason why you cant beat Potter. It was not only because half your powers were unavailable, if that were so, you would have won once in a while, due to the law of averages. But you never won.

When the Founders started Hogwarts, that was a time of incessant war. They were worried that all their efforts would be for naught if some petty warlord conquered Hogwarts. So they decided to use their magic to invoke a ritual to protect Hogwarts even after their death. Godric convinced them to invest this protective magic not on Hogwarts itself, but on one of their heirs, namely his.

The Ritual proceeded and a Protection Charm was enacted, which would protect the heir of Gryffindor. Because the four Founders acted in concert, the Charm was very powerful unto perpetuity; and it worked: warlords might try to take Hogwarts, the King might try, but they all failed.

Time went on. The Founders had left strict instructions that the Charm should not be applied again, but things were working out so well for the Gryffindors, that they decided they wanted more of it. 240 years later the Charm was reapplied for the second time. In the years since then, it was done again three times. The last by Dumbledore, applying another layer of the Charm to Harry Potter, shortly before his first encounter with Voldemort.

Because the Charm concentrates so much primal intent and will, it is very powerful, so much that it subtly warps the world around it, to benefit the Gryffindor heirs. If you look at a list of the main European countries in 1000 AD, you will note that England has decidedly fewer people and resources than the others, mighty France, and Germany and Spain, yet England consistently remained the leading nation, even when you least expected it to. So many times faced England annihilation from outside: Armada Invencible, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Kaiser, Hitler, USSR . It always won decisively. The Charm was acting; it had spread from what it originally was _to shape_ a world in which the heirs would thrive.

Dumbledore knew the Charm was getting dangerous, but he made the choice of eliminating Voldemort, even if there was a strong likelihood of major damage coming to the world.

When baby Potter met Voldemort, it was the Charm who repelled the _Avada Kedavra_ and flung it to the Dark Twit. Dumbledore liked to expound on love, but that doesnt explain why millions of women had died for their children, and yet, the children perished. Many witches, both pureblood and muggleborn, have tried to sacrifice themselves for their offspring, and always the children died too.

It was the Charm which burnt Quirrell, it sent the phoenix with the Sorting Hat to the Chamber of Secrets so Potter could win. The Charm allowed him to escape Voldemorts clutches during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, even though there was no logical reason to explain his miraculous departure. Potter presumed he knew wandlore, and his explanation about why the Elder Wand had chosen him as Master was hodge-podge at best, but the Charm ensured that the Elder wand would recognize him as Master. Yet the fact is that you remain the Elder Wands true Master.

But lets get back on track with your relationship to Potter. You were incensed at his duplicity, marrying the Weaselette while having you on the side. You also knew you could not vanquish him on a heads-on collision. You decided to use your extensive memory of curses and ensure that he would leave you alone.

There is a hierarchy of magic. Some spells, given their provenance, are so much more solid and stable than they should be. Revenge is one of the deeper, more willful emotions. Every time that it is used to power a spell, it strengthens the command.

On that Thursday, you appeared at Potters flat and you cast a Banishment spell. The terms of the spell were: Potter could not see you or talk about you for the next 17 years, a year for each month of the relationship. You packed all your things and left the flat.

Of course Potter tried to break the spell, but the terms of the banishment ensured that it would be obeyed, and the revenge magic was able to withstand his power. Hed just Apparate and hed immediately be whisked away in rainbow-colored light.

Life went on. You went abroad and eventually settled down in Italy . While there you met a former housemate of yours who managed to ignite a deep satisfaction at making her laugh, at watching the shadows play with her fair hair. The shackles of your parents deaths diminished a lot. Eventually you realized you wanted to spend the rest of your life with this pureblood witch, and you married Daphne Greengrass.

Soon you were blessed with the arrival of your son, Scorpius Malfoy. He was so tiny and so full of life. You promised yourself to always look out for him and protect him as much as you could.

The next few years were uneventful, but full of laughter and love. I have here something that will show you that not all events in your life had been sad and tragic, that life still remained, still flowed around you.

The man took out a worn Wizarding photo and handed it to Draco.

Draco saw an older version of himself, with a very beautiful Daphne sitting across from him and a small boy, who looked exactly like him at that age, between them. He noticed their looks of love, and knew that he was looking at the last Malfoys. The boy looked at photo!Draco with the kind of admiration Draco had used with Lucius, the difference was that photo!Draco looked back at the boy with pride, and love, and care.

Draco being Draco, he immediately asked Whats with the hair?

The man chuckled and answered, Id forgotten how impatient you can be! That is a secondary effect of a potion that Potter shoved down your throat, while Weasley held your arms. Apparently George Weasley had developed it to turn someone into a Veela in heat. Potter thought it was an interesting option and offered your services. The potion worked in some areas, and as a complication, you lost hair.

To continue, the 17 years went past, and soon the time came for Scorpius to go to Hogwarts. You toyed with the idea of sending him elsewhere, but Potter had sent you a message dissuading you from it. He threatened to launch a Wizengamot inquiry into yours affairs, which you took to mean he would send you to Azkaban.

In Kings Cross, you saw Potter for the first time in 17 years. You held his gaze and nodded, he nodded back. Soon Scorpius was on the train, and you went back. Still, an important event occurred: Potter transferred his obsession from you to your son. He didnt try to approach you again. He was set on taming your son.

Why do you think the Ministry is so intent now on getting your Estate? They could institute taxes or contributions, yet they feel they have the political backing to attempt this. That is because they do: Potter is behind them. Hes spoken and convinced them to try this route.

In Hogwarts, Potter used the services of Nott to let him know your moods and secrets. It was _Harry _who started the rumors about you betraying Voldemort, because he wanted you distracted, friendless and passive when he offered his services as a shining knight.

In your different jobs, when there came time for a performance review, Potter was invariably present to ensure that you did not advance, that you merely survived.

So it should come as no surprise to learn that two months after Kings Cross, you were arrested by Aurors on charges of conspiring to resurrect the Death Eaters, and using forbidden potions to try to attain the power of the Veela. Potter had planted the barbs, accusations and half-truths very cunningly, and you didnt stand a chance. You were convicted to life in Azkaban.

Daphne wrote to you later that month that someone was keen on adopting Scorpius, spouting nonsense about how your son would be raised better apart from all the Dark influence. The lucky couple was Ron Weasley and Hermione Weasley.

Daphne was able to stall them for a short time, but eventually, who could resist when the poster couple for the Light makes such a wish?

They took Scorpius, and made him change his name to Robert Weasley. During Christmas vacation, though, they sought to break him. They raped him. How can you be so sure? Because they sent you a Pensieve to your cell in Azkaban containing the memory of the rape. They wanted to lord it over you, they wanted to psychologically torture you, and by Merlin, they did!

Two hellish days later, you received some newspaper cuttings detailing the search for the adopted son of Ron Weasley, where later it was found out that your son had fallen into a deep ravine and died. You felt despair, guilt, among the maelstrom of emotions was gladness that they would not abuse Scorpius any more. Most of all, you felt as if you didnt belong among the living anymore. You wanted out.

The depth of your sadness was so enormous, that you were able to reconfigure your magic, and were able to throw off the shackles that bound your power. You felt alive, magnificently so, and that made the glaring death of your son so much more painful. If only you could have had this power before. If only the future would be known.

In the wake of your powers, you decided to exit this weary world. The wards prevented the use of magic or Muggle means to kill oneself, but then you remembered the Dementors. After opening the door and summoning a Dementor, it glided towards you.

You noticed its outer appearance, and were not duly impressed. You knew that the harshest, cruelest beings may look angelic, and you know that appearances can be deceiving. You hurried to Kiss it and be free of the pain.

Its laughable what they dont teach you at Hogwarts. For example, that no matter how powerful a curse or spell is, there is invariably one escape clause in the conditions of the spell. The Dementors are a cursed species, they incurred the wrath of a demigod, avatar or irate Dark Lord and were cursed. Originally they were Healers of Souls, anyone who suffered from deep behavioral problems could come to them, be Kissed and restored to what they were. They created happy moments.

The curse condemned them to attack what they held as the most important thing, the Soul; they were also cursed with a fearsome exterior. Whenever they approach, they call back bad moments.

The Dementors Kiss will invariably result in the loss of the Soul. Unless it is the Dementor who is being Kissed, and the person Kissing it has such Soul problems that can only be solved by a Healer, only then will the Kiss result in the Healing of the soul, and the Dementor will be free of the curse. This, and another factor, directed the Healing of your soul.

When the former Dementor finished, your grief, though strong, was manageable. You also had eidetic memory, total recall, and were able to connect seemingly isolated data points. You felt a strong hunch to go to the office of the Warden of Azkaban.

Once you were there, you knew why you were called. There was a portrait of a calm, wise Dumbledore. It was a pleasure to break him, and then steal his memories using the _Legilimens maxima_ spell. Given that it was a portrait the memories were manageable enough. In the picture there was his wand, which you transmogrified into the real Elder wand. Interestingly enough, there was also a time-turner in the office.

You felt called, compelled to come to a specific point in time and space, and use this moment as a fulcrum in order to move the world. You felt inspired to change the past.

The man passed his wand in front of him and cancelled the glamour charm. The hair brightened into sunburst, and also thinned out. The eyes turned a stormy, cold grey. The features turned into the chiseled face of Draco Malfoy.

tbc


	3. First twist 2

Young Draco narrowed his eyes dangerously. Malfoy knew where this confrontation was headed, and he knew he had to convince the younger Draco of the verity of his statements.

Malfoy said, "It was you who killed Potter's owl! Granted, many Death Eaters could be privy to this knowledge, but only I know why you did it. The inept prat was in dire danger of getting completely ambushed, and the death of his owl provided a wake-up call that roused him and made him aware of the danger. Also at that moment the attention of the Death Eaters was upon you. They expected you to act. Failure to do so would have resulted in your torture or death. So you pretended to aim for Potter but changed it at the last second to get the owl. They were suckered."

"So you did what you had to do."

"It was you who kept sending Dobby back to Potter. First, when you were small, you brainwashed the little elf with daring tales of bright and shining Harry, so when the moment came where you sent him with orders to guide and defend Potter, he did so willingly."

"Later, when the Golden Trio were in Malfoy Manor and needed an escape, you sent them Dobby again. They were able to get away."

"So you see, Potter owes you at least 6 Life Debts. The magic inherent in that symbol dictates that he should be very cordial and kind to you. However, he still raped you. While under the Protection Charm, Potter is immune to many things that affect the rest of us."

"And if you still doubt me, I know about the remaining Horcrux, the one that needed an unmarked Death Eater to be made, the sole remaining link to …"

Draco interrupted his older self with a shout, "OK, I believe you! There are some things better left unsaid, because the walls may have ears."

Malfoy stated, "I know you think that time travel is cool. But it isn't, really. You can go back one or two hours and effect changes in the environment, and everything is OK, but if you try to go farther than that, a day, a week, you'll find that you cannot change events. Whatever happens has inertia all its own that cannot be removed when you visit from the future. You can only watch, not interfere."

"Still, time-turners are a beloved tool of Wizards, and many of them are confident with their use."

"And so we come back to Potter, as we must forever do, to explain things. The Ministry dominated by Potter and his philosophy, tries desperately to throttle the growth of Dark wizards, hoping to keep their peace. Of course that means putting the purebloods on a leash, and building some kind of Dark Magic detector that goes up in flames or something when Dark Magic is used indicating where that happened."

"Young witches have been sternly reprimanded for engaging in Dark Magic, _while they were sleeping_. Accidental magic emitted by pureblood children and identified as Dark, is cause for a stay in Azkaban."

"Under this draconian environment, it is no wonder that the Dark Arts are no longer practiced. One of the key motors that drove the Wizarding World in its quest for more spells, more opportunities, is completely turned off."

"Potter would never know it, but the spells used to create the wards that hide the main Wizarding sites from Muggles, they are rooted in Dark Magic, for they conceal the location of the target and change its appearance."

"The wards that protect us, they haven't been updated in 15 years. The researchers that were working on them, realizing they had to delve into Dark Magic and valuing their freedom, decided to do something else."

"As a result the wards flicker and fail from time to time. It happens randomly enough that the illusions disappear at the most inconvenient times. The Muggles have noticed this, and have deduced the existence of magic and our world. We must also account for the activity of the Muggleborns in the Ministry. Many of them crow about their achievements to whoever listens, they don't care if the listener is Muggle, for the main tenet of Potter's Ministry is that _danger never comes from Muggles."_

"Yet it is the Muggles who have tamed the world unaided, and their thinking ability is unmatched. There's a group of them, who is aware of the dangers facing their world from overpopulation, extinction, pollution. This group searches feverishly for any way to assuage the ills, and they are not afraid to take the less orthodox route."

"With time, this group is taken over by charismatic individuals, who will stop at nothing to save the world. They find out about the Wizarding World, thanks to the flickering wards and their own Muggleborn spies in the Ministry."

"First they contacted the Ministry and asked for help. Inconveniently enough, they had to deal with Ron Weasley, he obliviated them and sent them on their way. The oaf didn't think that there were members who stayed out of the meeting, and when the stories didn't match, the Muggles knew they'd been had."

"From now on they looked upon us as their greatest enemy, for with our magic we could easily undo all the environmental damage. They are a very resourceful lot, as is the wont of Muggles."

"They have contacts and can get small nuclear devices. They situate them in the main Wizarding centers, like Diagon Alley, Gringotts, the Ministry, Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, St. Mungo's."

"They also know the meaning of good intelligence and have found out all about Harry Potter, how he saved them, how powerful he is. Consequently, one device is directed to Potter's address, which is, interestingly enough, the Malfoy Manor. It seems to please him to own something he took from you."

"Some news of these plans reaches the Ministry, but it is waved candidly aside on the strength of the idea that Muggles are cute, and can do no one no harm."

"In Siberia, in Tunguska in 1903, there occurred a small catastrophe. The woods were completely destroyed for miles. The Muggles think it was an asteroid, or even a mini black hole. Through Dumbledore's memories, you found that Amadeus Potter was present at that moment, he was then the Gryffindor Heir, and was the subject of an ambush."

"Whatever happened, it must have pulled at the world in such a way that it could only respond unleashing this force."

"You see, the Muggles have researched and categorized the laws governing the world. It must remain bound to them, forever. They're incontestable. Yet we are able to do magic. Reality twists around magic, momentarily negating the deeper laws, but it soon goes back to the way it was before. It stretches like the limb of a tree when you put a heavy weight on it. When you lift the weight, the limb returns to its original state, so does the world."

"What would happen if the weight was too much and the limb broke?"

"By this time Potter has three children. Therefore there are four Protection Charms in effect."

"I'm here to tell you that on June 23, 2019, a successful nuclear attack is launched upon the Wizarding World, destroying it completely. It is not this that has made you a privileged observer, for the world would continue if this happened, a sadder, impoverished world, but it would go on.

"There is another nuclear device launched at Potter and his offspring. It explodes and unleashes the primordial force of the atom, upon which the stars feed and the Universe runs."

"But the four Protection Charms must needs avoid this. They are cleverly crafted and applied, they call on ancient magic and intent, and they refuse to let this happen."

"Faced with this situation, the limb breaks, reality cannot respond. It ends."

"That's the date when the world ends."

"It is this fact which allows you to be a privileged observer."

"You see, when you Kissed the Dementor, there was a split second when it could have gone either way, it could've sucked your soul or Healed it. Yet the Dementor, like all magical creatures, could sense the end coming, and it chose to help you. The world subtly helped you make your choice to come here. There's an enormous amount of energy being expended to allow you to change the past. Reality knows that's its only chance to continue."

Draco said, "So you're just the world's puppet?"

Malfoy responded, "No, there is always free will. I could have used the time-turner to go somewhen and rescue Scorpius, and I was sorely tempted to do so. Yet the fact remained that even if I rescued him and we hid, the world would still end due to Potter's goody-two shoes attitude."

"If the Charm is left in effect, it is only a question of time until it destroys the world. I've told you that even the greatest spells have an escape clause, and so it is with the Charm. Given Godric's inflated ego, the key to disarming the spell is for the Heir to attack treacherously. I've a mind how to do that, and only I know how to needle Potter so much that he cracks when I want him to."

"Of course dear Godric would not think that raping is a treacherous act, to him it went with the territory."

"There are some things that I want you to have. First, the Malfoy signet ring. It signifies that you are Lord Malfoy now and can dispose of all assets. If the paperwork is still unsigned, you can use the time-turner here, to change matters for your convenience. Use it sparingly."

"Next, the Elder Wand. I know you miss having a wand." Malfoy twirled his wand around, as if he was playing with it. Draco was observant enough to notice the faint lights of the spells coming out of the wand and deduced that something had just come up.

Malfoy had cast strongest wards on the room, and created a zone where there was no magic. Once the zone had settled, a figure in a cloak was visible.

Draco saw Malfoy advance threateningly on the recumbent figure on the floor, rip the Cloak from him, discovering that it was Percy Weasley. Malfoy cast the Killing Curse on him.

Draco blinked, and saw Malfoy viciously kick the figure, which turned out to be the Studious Weasel, and cast _Sectumsempra_ on him.

Draco moved his face, and could distinguish Malfoy advancing on the recumbent figure in the inactive Invisibility Cloak, and saw him cast _Crucio_ on the man.

Draco briefly lost consciousness. When he came to, he asked Malfoy: "What did you do with the Studious Weasel?"

Malfoy answered, "Didn't you see? It was before you lost consciousness."

Draco replied, "I saw many different things, I saw you killing him, casting _Sectumsempra _and _Crucio_ on him."

Malfoy had a smirk on his face, "I just sent him back to his employer, with a strong _Obliviate_."

"What you just experienced makes me hopeful for the future! Let me explain. Time-turners cannot be used to change the past beyond some hours, yet they provide the opportunity to witness, perhaps to experience reality as it was before. As a result, many wizards and witches use them to follow historical events."

"They will go to a known event in history and study it using the time-turner. That means they go there physically. They can't interact with the people or things there, but their awareness is there. However, if the number of observers is too high, that strains reality. What you experienced was what would have happened if I had decided to kill him, or curse him. It felt to you like reality could not make up its mind."

"It's a pleasure for me. You know why? Because it means _there will be_ a future! People in that future want _to learn_ about you; while I wish they were less nosy, still, their presence signifies that the future exists."

Malfoy gave Draco the Elder Wand. Upon touching it, Draco felt the wand responding to his magic, he sensed that an integral part of his being was returned to him.

Next, Malfoy said, "I must ask you to cast _Legilimens maxima_ on me."

Draco answered, "But that will completely erase all the memories from you!"

Malfoy replied, "Yes it will. However, reality cannot sustain two of us for more than a few hours. There are still a number of things that you will need to know in order to best the Golden Trio. Because we are one, you can deal with the memories and they won't cause you to become paranoid or suffer split personalities, as has happened in all other known cases."

"Even if the Dementor cured me, I still yearn for freedom. This will be a small step in that direction. It is only fitting that I cease to exist when my world does, and it ensures that the memory of Scorpius will linger on, within your loving embrace. I can ask for nothing more, except the matter of retribution."

"I want you to swear a Revenge Oath against the Golden Trio. I know it may seem daunting to you, but you know that such an Oath can only be accepted if the statements are true. You will swear to utterly avenge Scorpius Malfoy's death caused by Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger-Weasley. If this is not true, the oath will not proceed."

"When the Protection Charm is lifted off, the world and the future will be endless. What appears to be a certain, inflexible road seen from my perspective will appear to you as endless plains. The Golden Trio, shorn of some of its power, will try to win you over by means fair and foul. They are more cunning than any Slytherin, and much more ruthless. Remember what they did to Scorpius!"

Draco asked, "What will you do if I refuse?"

"I will take all the artifacts back and will _Obliviate_ you."

Draco spluttered, "But, the world, it will end."

Malfoy countered with, "So it will. But there are also things worth dying for, worth killing for. Such loathsome acts as they did demand retribution. This is one sure way to make sure that it happens, no matter what trickery they use."

Draco considered, and then followed the ancient pureblood ritual of calling up a Revenge Oath. He could feel the magic of the ritual entering him and felt more aware of his surroundings. That indicated that the Oath had been accepted and integrated.

He looked at the photo of himself, Daphne and Scorpius, years from now in a future, and felt the need to know what Scorpius was like. He asked Malfoy, "What happens if I marry Daphne and try to get her pregnant exactly the day Scorpius was conceived? Will it work?"

Malfoy looked incredibly sad and forlorn as he answered, "I thought of this. Merlin how I have thought of this! But it won't work. There were millions of germinal cells each time you made love to Daphne. Scorpius was the result of the union of one of them with the _ovum_. There's no way to know which sperm it was. In other words, his birth was, in a way, completely irreproducible. You would have to recreate the entire Universe as it existed up to that point for it to occur in the same way. That is impossible."

"Our time together draws to a close, and it has also just begun. I don't know if my body will disappear. If it doesn't, get rid of it quickly before the Ministry or Potter turn up their half-breed faces here. Go on!"

Draco intoned, _Legilimens maxima_, firmly pointing the Elder wand towards Malfoy.

Presently, Draco Malfoy stood and looked up, and muttered, "Thy will be done!"

tbc


	4. Origami letter

Draco found it very difficult to integrate the adult memories into his life. He needed more time, so he used the time-turner to go back a day. He returned 10 objective minutes later. Eventually he spent five days in such a fashion, the last one he went to Gringotts and sped the application naming him Lord Malfoy, so it would be signed that very day.

It was exceedingly strange to feel both 17 and 36 years old, to combine in a sole viewpoint the ardor of youth and the maturity of a father. And Scorpius's loss caused him deep heartache. But he was ready to ride high once more. Before, he'd given them Atonement, 20 long years he spent paying for his youthful sins and the louts did not forgive him, but tortured and chastised him, they killed his parents, and in the end they killed his son.

He will not be humble again! They will find out their worst enemy, and it will be him.

Draco faced the room and intoned, rubbing the Malfoy signet ring. "Lord Malfoy requests the services of the excellent Griphook, to settle urgent matters."

There was the sound of goblin Apparition and a goblin appeared. He bowed to Draco and said, "Griphook is here, how may I serve you?"

Draco answered, "The Malfoys are the biggest customers of Gringotts, yet the Ministry wants my money. I've conceived of a way to fool them, but I need your help."

"Of course, I know that Gringotts may deny such help, so I thought about things that unite us, like the broken promises of Harry Potter towards the goblins, when he promised he'd give them the Sword of Gryffindor for services rendered. The goblin performed the service, yet the Sword vanished after a few days."

"It is against this hypocrisy and treacherous logic that we must unite. If you help me, I willingly give my oath as Lord Malfoy that within one year hence, the Sword will be returned to you, free of enchantment, or I will lose my magic."

Griphook was astonished. He'd thought the Sword was gone forever, a shame upon his honor, but to have the chance to win it back, especially against that curmudgeon Potter, it was brilliant. He said, "Griphook and Gringotts will be pleased to do everything we can to help you, so we can reach our goals."

Draco stated, "I would like to change vaults. Instead of using vaults 00 to 100, as has been done up to now, I want us to use vaults 1,000 to 1,100. It would be advantageous if this were done overnight." Draco sported a decidedly serpentine smile, "Of course, it would be so much easier if you numbered your vaults in other way. Let's say that the one on top begins with 0, and so on, so you don't have to actually drag the contents across vaults, but simply change the numbering system itself."

"Also I would like your help to perform a _Magnus Fidelius_ charm. I want to place all Malfoy real estate assets under the _Fidelius_ charm. To do that a list of all the property is needed, which I think you will find here. We also need to have three different magical creatures. You are one, I will call one of my House elves."

Griphook commented, "You still need another magical creature."

Draco replied, "I have the powers of a Veela."

Draco called on Trini, a Malfoy house elf, and the _Magnus Fidelius_ was performed.

Then he transfigured some TV cameras and put them under concealment charms.

Lastly, he had a request to make of Griphook. He wanted to have the controlling interest of the _Daily Prophet_, so he asked Griphook to buy shares until he owned 70 of all outstanding shares.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

That afternoon, the Ministry representatives appeared, waiting to see a broken Draco Malfoy. They met a brisk one, who apparently had his own game plan. When they tried to make him sign, he demurred and said:

"I have a proposition: I give you control of all my vaults and all known Malfoy property. You give me my parents, and take them to the trial tomorrow so I can talk with them."

Percy Weasley asked, "What will you do if we say no?"

Draco answered, "Then I will fight you as much as I need to."

Weasley continued, "You agree to give up everything for your parents? You must really love them."

Draco replied, "Apparently more than you, at any rate."

The senior representative commented, "I can say that we will let you meet with your parents tomorrow, but only if you hand over the Malfoy assets. We cannot let such a big amount go to people sympathetic to the Dark Arts."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

The next day dawned in a glorious explosion of red and gold. Unbeknownst to many, several enviable plots of land were conspicuously missing from preferred locations across the United Kingdom , including plots from Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley.

There was also the little matter that Hogwarts had seemingly disappeared.

The Wizengamot hearing destined to seal the fate of Draco Malfoy would take place at 9:00 AM. Harry was surprised to discover Neville there. The public had no idea of the nature of that meeting, exactly like Harry wanted.

He would start to ensnare his prey right now, watching with gleefulness as the prey fell. But Neville, what was he doing here?

The Wizengamot made its entrance, and then Draco. Harry was irritated to note that he seemed in control and unafraid.

Draco simply extended his hand and Summoned a piece of parchment. Harry was astonished to see that he had a Birch wand; he hadn't given him his own wand back to keep him subservient and weak. He'd have to be more careful around him.

Draco imperiously signed the parchment. The terms were that in return for relinquishing control of his Gringotts vaults 00 to 100, and ceding all _known_ Malfoy property to the Ministry, Draco Malfoy was declared innocent of any charges related to his life up to that point, and the same applied to Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Draco could meet his parents from that moment on. Draco watched as the magic in the contract ran its course. Then he wanted to see his parents.

Shacklebolt said, "I'm not sure it's safe to allow you to see them, Draco!"

Draco replied, "It's too late, Shakie. When I signed the parchment and the magic was activated, it was made real for all parts of the contract, it was a Magical Holographic contract. I demand to see my parents!"

There was the sound of tempests and thunder, and there, in front of Draco, stood Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. They wore chains. Draco moved his wand and issued a nonverbal command. The chains fell off. Draco said, "_Accio_ Lucius's cane!"

A cane flew towards Draco. He caught it and flung it towards his father. He said, "Catch and hug!" Lucius understood the implied command and hugged Narcissa.

Draco took out an Origami letter, and blew it with a kiss towards Narcissa. As everyone was so caught up with the display of magic and the origami letter, they did not think to wonder what was in the letter.

Lucius and Narcissa read:

_Malfoy Manor may be located 20 miles from Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, England _

_The password to activate the portkey is Victory. Do not go out of the Manor for a few weeks. _

Lucius looked proudly at Draco and said clearly, "Victory." The portkey activated and they were whisked away from the rabid Ministry, and Draco's fears eased a bit.

There was pandemonium among the members. Draco stepped up to the podium and shouted, "I demand to see the Chief Warlock."

A shadowy figure presented itself as Thaddeus Rimes, Chief Warlock.

Draco continued, making sure that the reporters of the _Daily Prophet_ heard, "I accuse the Ministry of blackmailing me into seemingly providing them with the Malfoy assets so my parents would be left alone! In support of this claim I offer this:" He offered DVDs with the recording of the incriminating evidence.

He continued, "It doesn't matter if you try to hide this under a chair, for the press has access to the evidence and will surely publish it! I accuse the Minister of deepest corruption, and in support of my claim, I hereby withdraw the Malfoy monies from any reparation funds. We will not sit idly by while you chastise us with our money!"

"You can be sure that I will speak with the other pureblood families and come to an accommodation with them."

Every member was aghast. Without the Malfoy monies, which contributed to around half the total, the Ministry would collapse. Of course, they could institute taxes or contributions, but that would mean that the Muggleborns and Half-bloods would have to pay, when they were used to being the ones in control, without having to contribute.

Draco continued, with fire in his cold grey eyes and the demeanor of angry vengeance, "Before you do something stupid, you should consider this: Hogwarts belongs to me!"

"Possession is nine points of the law! And I possess Hogwarts, for I can go there whenever I want. No one else can go unless I permit it. The Malfoys own Hogwarts."

"I will retain Hogwarts inaccessibility for the moment. It will probably change when classes start, or it might not."

HRHRHRHRHRHR

Harry was incensed. All his careful plans to subdue Malfoy would come to naught, they all turned on him losing everything and becoming dependent on Harry. Right now that seemed unlikely. Harry glared heatedly at Draco, and discovered to his chagrin that Draco didn't pay attention.

Instead Draco spoke to Neville, "What's up, Longbottom?"

Neville replied, "Not much, Malfoy. Thanks for the invite."  
Draco answered, "You were my ace in the hole. If I needed help, I knew I could count on you."  
Neville answered, "After last year and the enormous help you gave me with the Slytherins and the school, I could do nothing else."

Harry was dying of curiosity and had to ask, "What help was that?"

Neville, "When I stood up for other people, the Death Eaters would have killed me, but Draco pretended to torture and torment me, and that satisfied their hunger for pain. In reality, Draco just used very colorful and vivid innocuous spells. Without him being there at least part of the time, they would have killed me."

Neville asked Draco, "I have to return to Hogwarts soon, can you help me?"

Draco replied, "Of course, Nev. You'll find the way very soon."

Harry was inwardly fuming, since when does Draco called Longbottom Nev? What is the world coming to? What's happening with his plans?

Harry was still irate, and did not notice the scrap of paper that Draco shoved unobtrusively into Neville's hand. It said:

_Hogwarts may be found several miles from Hogsmeade, in Scotland ._

tbc


	5. The Gall of the Git

That night, Harry returned to the Weasleys' abode. Although the family was shattered by the loss of Fred, life still had to go on. Charlie itched to get to his dragons in Romania , and Bill had been offered a prestigious job as a Curse-breaker.

Everyone was worried about George, as he seemed to have drawn in upon himself, muttering about potions.

Harry knew that Ron was still gleeful about punching Draco, and he smiled when he thought about it.

After Harry, Ginny entered the house. Everyone would think that she smiled winningly and handsomely at Harry, but the truth was that there existed a certain wariness in her regard.

Harry had been her crush for years and getting him to go out with her had been great. Eventually, Harry himself decided he could no longer afford being the cause of Ginny's vulnerability and broke it off with her. Then he disappeared Merlin knows where.

Ginny tried to rebuild her life around school. She met and befriended a Slytherin sixth year, Bernard Zabini, a cousin of Blaise's. She got to know them from another angle, free of the interference of the Golden Trio. She found out they were smart, likable, had acerbic wit and were willing to do most anything to get their way, but they were loyal. Inside this charmed circle, Pansy, Millicent, Daphne and Ginny could be friends.

Though some were Dark and some neutral, they all treated Ginny with respect, observing more than the tough act she'd developed to fool her brothers. She learned that the life of a Slytherin was a balancing act, being always cautious that anything done may be reported back to the Dark Lord, and prompt him to torture or kill family members. That dictated a lot of the interaction in the house.

Yet they had fun. Below the Slytherin common room there was a huge room, similar to the Room of Requirement, which could duplicate any location on Earth. She and the girls spent many an afternoon down there, gossiping about Quidditch players and songs.

It was a moment in the castle's history when the Slytherins' protections could make or break a person. So she was saved.

Still, the Gryffindors noted who she associated with, and promptly informed the Golden Trio. Her brother and Harry browbeat her into abandoning her new friendships, claiming it was all a ruse of Voldemort's, that you can't trust Slytherins.

So when Harry came back, he found a strange, stoic Ginny, whom he could later conceivably mould into the sort of partner he was looking for, someone he would have sons with. First though, he had to break her will and tame it. Even if it took him years he would do so.

Harry's upbringing had not been the most amiable and loving one. He'd spent 11 long years being considered a freak, only his explosions of wild magic, or perhaps something else, had kept the Dursleys from using him as a punching bag. Nevertheless, they'd taught him harsh lessons: the pointlessness of complaining, the caress of solitude and the will, the ultimate will to survive and conquer.

He would never give in to the Dark that sputtered around his mind. In fact, he'd fight it always and wherever found. He'd abide by the common good, but certain people would be his to do with as he saw fit. Isn't that what family is all about? Thanks to Hermione's nagging, he'd bought psychology books, and knew that a person who has been abused may become an abuser. This wouldn't happen to him. Hermione was adamant that he talk with someone professional, but he was no freak and refused to do so.

One of Harry's special persons was Ginny, other was Malfoy. Harry had persuaded Dean Thomas to go out with the redhead and become her boyfriend and lover. After donning the Invisibility Cloak, he followed them to their room one night and took some startling photos, which would come into play the moment Ginny decided to stray from the road he'd set her in. He'd almost been sorted into Slytherin.

When Malfoy first offered his hand on that first train ride, he'd been about to accept it until he felt a compulsion, a desire to reject it out of hand. Later he grew familiar with the desire, and integrated it into his outlook.

In his mind's eye he saw a future where he married Ginny and had a family with her, by then her resistance would be a token. Yet things with Ginny were too normal, too boring to hold his attention. He needed to become completely involved, and there was only one person who was liable to get that from him: Draco. He'd have to tame Draco, make it so he relied exclusively on Harry, then get into his pants. Finally, he would treat him then as the freak he was.

Yet apparently Draco came out the winner in his confrontation with the Ministry. He'd have to revise his plans. He cursed the moment he decided on Kingsley Shacklebolt for Minister of Magic, he had chosen the black Adonis mainly on the strength of his looks, and of course also his courageous dedication to the Light.

Grumbling, Harry fell asleep.

HRHRHRHRHRHR

Ron Weasley was coming out of Diagon Alley, ready to return to the bosom of his family and his girlfriend. He was whistling with contentment as he recalled how he had punched the daylights out of Draco Malfoy. So he didn't really listen well as camouflaged footsteps sounded near.

A spell was cast on him: _Petrificus Partialis_!

A figure shrouded in a black cloak approached him. Ron could not see anything except for fierce burning grey eyes. The man said, "You will drink this, Weasley. After all, it's something developed by your brother." Then he shoved the contents of the vial down Ron's throat.

The potion smelled like rotten leaves, and tasted like week-old stale bread. Ron could feel the rush of magic entering his body, preparing to do what the potion commanded. The man looked at Ron, and he swore he could hear a sneer in his voice, "One last detail, Weasel: _Obliviate_!"

HRHRHRHRHRH

The next morning, Harry had to fight Ron for the last two waffles. Mrs. Weasley was gone to visit Andromeda Tonks. Harry read the _Daily Prophet_, hardly believing that they were sympathetic to someone for once.

_**Corruption in the Ministry**_

_**Ministry blackmails Malfoy to give them his assets**_

_Conclusive proofs have been rendered that Ministry officials, up to and including the Undersecretary Percy Weasley and the Minister Shacklebolt tried to blackmail Draco Malfoy into surrendering title for all his holdings, in exchange for the lives of his parents. What is more scandalizing is that the Ministry had this project, and fully intended to strip Lord Malfoy of his assets, yet they also wanted to send his parents to Azkaban at once._

_Only Draco's swift and agile maneuvering prevented this, which leads this reporter to ponder how many children we are losing each year because of hysterics about Dark Magic._

_The truth is that Light and Dark magic exist indissolubly linked. One cannot exist without the other. Any attempt to make it so would sabotage our world._

_It just remains to be seen if everything is allowable with the spurious pretext of snuffling Dark Magic._

_This egregious act deserves to be recognized as such and dealt with. Shacklebolt, and most current Ministry personnel should resign._

Harry tried to recover his breath. He was so enraged that the shelves had started moving, there was a strong wind in the room, and Ron's hair was stuck up. Harry noted that Ron looked a little worn out and asked him if he was all right. Ron grimaced and visibly garnering strength, answered he was OK.

Ron added that Malfoy would give a press conference in the afternoon, in the _Ministry's Atrium_. The gall of the git!

HRHRHRHRHRH

Meanwhile Draco's entrance into Malfoy Manor was highly melodramatic, even for a Malfoy.

He found his parents in the main parlor. He dutifully hugged Lucius.

Lucius said, "Now we have to start working on our name, Draco. You've done well, but with my guidance and political acumen, we'll be doing great. First you'll marry Pansy and cement the political alliance with the Parkinsons." Lucius should have paid more attention to Draco's face, which was fast getting cloudy.

Draco stated, "I have two words to say to you, Lucius!" He got his wand out and pointed it towards Lucius, while he shouted, "_Catenas sesenta!_"

He went on in a didactic tone, "That is the spell that binds one's power. I bet you haven't told Mother what you did. Well, Mom, when I was one and a half year old, he left me alone with Dumbledore, so the old coot took the opportunity to bind my power 60 per cent. He didn't want me truly competing with Potter."

"A portrait observed this. When I was nine years old the portrait told me, and, like the dutiful pureblood heir you took such great pains to raise me as, I dutifully went to my father to ask him what it all meant. All I got for my itch to know was an _Obliviate_. The portrait was moved and Lucius could do what he loves best, stick his head so far up his ass that it never sees the light of day."

Lucius started to stir and yelled, "Hey, wait…" But he was cut off when Draco pointed the wand at him and shouted "_Silencio!"_

Draco sneered and said, "Surely you can break the _Silencio_, Lucius. Oops, sorry, I forgot your reduced powers! Let me tell you something: you come back in 35 years and I will lift it for you!"

"You like to pretend that you uphold the Malfoy name, but it is no longer so, if it ever was. I am the holder of the wealth. It was your stupid actions in following Voldemort that led you to Azkaban, and forced me to choose servitude to the Dark Lord, so he wouldn't kill you or Mother. Many times I wanted to disappear from here, but the thought of what he would do to you held me back, and later, different horrors accumulated out of my control."

"In my mind, you are the guilty party and I can't trust you. Hence, I will disown you; I will take the Malfoy name and rights from you. Lucius Malfoy will cease to exist. You will be Lucius NoOne."

Lucius looked exhausted and deathly afraid. He was pale as snow. Narcissa had been glaring heatedly at him, and had silently promised herself a good bitchslap and some strong words. It was unbearable that he had bound his own son and obliviated him!

Draco was acting according to his rights to choose the Disownment, but Narcissa remembered the Lucius of Hogwarts, who held her at night, when she suffered nightmares, who wrote poetry in the snow, Lucius who wanted to name his son Draco, and watched over him with an outward glare, while secretly cherishing him.

She had just gotten her family back. She could not let if fall apart again!

Narcissa went to Draco and dropped to his feet, hugging his knees and saying, "I know you can't trust him, Dragon. I know he did wrong things. But he can take an Obedience Vow and he'd be compelled to obey."

"Please don't take my family from me Draco! You're the only one who can hold us together, as you have done since you were born. You can be the Lord Malfoy that your father never was, for you will have him helping, in whatever capacity you decide."

Narcissa lifted her head and Draco could see she was crying. He stooped and kissed her forehead, saying, "I will do as you say, Mother. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. I trust you with my life."

HRHRHRHRHRHRH

The Vow was prepared and executed after Draco ended the _Silencio_, he urged his father to remain quiet. He smirked at his parents and said, "Soon the time will come again for a Malfoy to be in the Board of Governors, in fact, I would say two Malfoys."

Narcissa asked bewildered, "What do you mean, Draco? Won't they be searching for us?"

Draco smiled diabolically and answered sweetly, "They signed a kind of contract that is very special. Soon they'll find it hurts them more than us. You should also know that I've put all the Malfoy holdings under _Fidelius_."

Lucius looked at Draco with a very awed, gleeful smirk. Draco had on his face the kind of expression Lucius had occasionally spied on Potter's father, on Sirius Black and Remus Lupin when a prank had gone correctly.

Draco continued, "What is interesting is that Hogwarts disappeared with the rest of our real estate. That means we own Hogwarts!"

"I am the Secret-Keeper, but if something should happen to me, I want you, Mom, to be able to act as the Keeper. I will send the location of the properties to your mind using _Legilimency_."

Draco focused on Narcissa and sent her the knowledge and magic to act as the Secret-Keeper. Narcissa was overwhelmed. She knew now the location of all the Malfoy assets and could move out, and plot among them. Truly a priceless gift.

Draco said, "I trust you completely, Mom."

tbc


	6. Flashforward

_Draco dreamed:_

In the beginning of the relationship, it seemed as if he'd found his soulmate. Although Harry was admittedly cavalier with his feelings and tended to want things done _now_, still he seemed to pay attention to Draco's needs too.

This day he came two hours late to his appointment with Draco. Later Draco would find out that this was time he'd spent with Ginny, and not in the Aurors' office, as he claimed.

This time their lovemaking was slow and languorous.

It was always Harry who set the mood and followed it, and it was him who invariably topped. There would come a time when Draco despaired of this arrangement, but that was in the future, and unknowable to him.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

Then he dreamed of more tempestuous lovemaking, or to call them better, rapes.

Harry came back from the office fuming. He should have been delighted that the Dark Magic detection apparatus had claimed there was no Dark Magic in him and he would not use it at all, yet he wasn't.

Draco had just returned from his own boring, unfulfilling and low-paying job and was trying desperately to sleep.

Harry appeared and wanted some sex, Draco refused, then Harry cast _Petrificus partialis_ on him, Draco could see that coming and cast a _Protego_ shield, unfortunately the shield _just happened_ to have a missing piece where the spell would come through, binding his limbs. With another spell he got his clothes off of him.

He said, "I won't use lube, Draco. You displease me. You should always want to get fucked when I say so. You're my toy, and that's all you'll ever be."

Harry pushed in, and it hurt like hell. At the end of it all, his backside was tinged with blood. But it wasn't the end, for when Harry stopped the spell, he motioned towards the door and Ron Weasley came in, it was plain to see that he was eagerly watching the scene. Harry directed him to grab Draco's arms. He took a green vial from his hand and said, "I've proudly offered you as a test subject to one of George's potions. This should turn you into a Veela, a Veela in heat! I'll be looking forward to the sex!"

Then Harry delivered the _pièce de resistance_: "I can see how you are watching him, Ron. He's a great fuck! You can have him next!"

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHHRHRH

The next segment did not involve crazy Gryffindors, but his son. He looked at Scorpius, and it hurt so good to see him again. He wondered how he could get to stay here with him forever.

Scorpius said, "Hello, dad. I want to say, don't feel guilty. There's nothing you could have done to avert what happened. You gave me a happy life, and took care of us like a father should. You have done nothing wrong!"

"But I must warn you. I must tell you that the Gryffindor Protection Charm has been in existence for a thousand years. It has been a key influence in a lot of people. Perhaps enough to develop and maintain self-awareness, if that is so it is the oldest piece of sentience extant in the world."

"Whatever else it is, it protects Potter ferociously as you've experienced. When you spoke with Longbottom and Potter was near, he was able to sense some difference in your power. He will keep digging around this news, like the bull-terrier he is."

"You have a window of opportunity in which to act and disarm the Charm. You have until one month of school. Later than that and Potter will be too suspicious to fall for anything. You must keep him entertained or distracted, use his allies to sow confusion."

Draco recovered and asked, "Who are you really?"

Scorpius replied, "I am your son. I have his memories, I'm also the part of the world that wants to continue to exist. There are other parts of me that are world-weary and would like nothing better than to stop, but we want to go on. There are places to go to, friends to meet, lovers to cuddle, we just have to search for them."

"Before you ask me for help about locating me, I will hint that you might find help in the most unexpected place, or person, or group."

Draco asked grumpily, "Why me?"

Scorpius replied, "You are the Child of Free Will. I'm afraid this doesn't automatically confer you super-cool powers. What it means is that you have an enormous amount of Will, so much that you conserved your wits and strength, faced with demeaning and trying circumstances. For 20 years they taunted you, glared at you, even raped you, yet your Will never broke."

"Potter engineered the Azkaban stay to see you sink into despair, so he could later conveniently come and go and mock you. In a last showing of Will, you denied him this when you Kissed the Dementor, even then, you didn't just give up. It was a sublime gesture of defiance, a fuck-you note scribbled to the Fates."

"You fought with Potter for nearly 26 years. You always lost, but you always, _always_ got up and planned the next encounter, the next duel, the Banishment. You managed to shoulder the weight of the world and take it in stride. You married, had a son and managed to make their lives comfortable as long as you humanly could."

"Your Will remains supreme, and we have dire need of it. Once, your older self explained to the younger one the conundrum this world is heading to. Inevitably nuclear weapons will be launched at Potter, and the magic, trying to prevent this, will cause a tension so severe that the world cannot sustain it and ends."

"In effect, two powerful forces will meet and neither of them will yield. Still, maybe a third force will be strong enough to break the stalemate: your Free Will."

"There is one reason Potter responds so strongly to you. He senses your Free Will and actively tries to tame it, to destroy it. You have been a thorn on his side since the beginning, because you didn't conform to the pattern of his "friends" and fans. You always challenged him, and always lost. Potter thrived on it, as Dumbledore must have planned since the beginning. You can use this attraction to good effect now."

Draco asked, perhaps still influenced by the Potter dream, "Am I your toy, then?"

Scorpius looked horrified and said, "Never! We need your Will. We cannot compel you, nor would we want to. You can never be anyone's toy. Forget about Potter's spiteful words. He was trying to break you."

"There were many avenues of exploration to get rid of the Charm, yet in the end they all converge in you. Other schemes would be swiftly counteracted by Potter and friends. What you are doing, though, helps us. Things have been thoroughly mixed; they'll be perplexed, maybe unwary enough that you can get past their defenses.

You are the linchpin, the crucible on which reality depends."

"Though your contemporaries won't learn how you saved them, it will be thanks to you that we go on."

Draco's dream-self blinked. When he watched again, he saw Potter in one of his bad moods, "You'll always belong to me Malfoy."

"No matter where you crouch hidden, you still belong to me!"

Potter started to walk towards Draco and he whimpered, plotting his escape. He could hide behind an Occlumency shield, but it would take days to take the shield down, and he had a press conference to get to today. He could hex dream-Potter, but he didn't know what relation it had with the real git.

Or he could wake up. Someone said, "Wake up, Draco! Come on Dragon, please wake up!"

Draco blearily watched a slim figure with hair the color of his own. At the edge between dream and wakefulness, the contrasting viewpoints of a 17 year-old youth and a 36-year old man warred for a moment.

He said, "Daphne, what are you doing here?"

The figure chuckled, and snorted, and answered, "Draco, I heard suspicious noises coming from your bedroom. I checked up on you and it seemed you were enduring a bad dream. If you want to tell me something about any of your housemates, you know you can."

Draco, finally recognizing Narcissa, said, "All right, Mother. How much time do I have left?"

Narcissa cast a _Tempus_ spell, and observing the results, she said, "You have two hours. Long enough for a shower and some food."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the Ministry Atrium and took their places among the selected reporters. Thankfully being the Boy Who Lived had its perks, thought Harry wryly. He was curious about the changed qualities in Draco Malfoy he'd noticed the other day. It behooved him to observe the git carefully, and see what could be salvaged from his plans.

Maybe if he pretended to be his friend he could get to a point where he could do to Draco what he wanted. What he desired was to tame him, tame the dragon!

Hermione waited eagerly for the conference to start. She'd noticed the group of Aurors at the end table. If the Ministry was as clueless as ever, they'd try to do one thing, and they'd fail. It seemed she alone knew among them the nature of the Contract.

She was also curious about the birch wand used by Malfoy. She would cast a small spell of her own invention, which would determine and signal the origin of any magical object.

With her usual clear-sighted gaze, she could see that Malfoy was going to be trouble, and she would do anything she could to protect her boys.

She turned towards Ron and nuzzled his neck. She loved to run her hands through her strong, clear red hair. However this time, when she looked at her hand, she saw it had a lot of red hairs. Could that loss be natural or not?

Before she could ask a question, she was distracted by Draco's arrival. He came with many of his cronies, like Goyle, Nott, Zabini, Bulstrode, Parkinson. Nothing extraordinary here, yet Hermione noticed several pureblooded Ravenclaws, including Terry Boot, and assorted Hufflepuffs. There was no one from Gryffindor, at least there wasn't until Neville Longbottom arrived and sat right next to Malfoy!

Hermione was incensed by this seeming betrayal to her boys. She cast the spell and was dumbfounded to find out that Malfoy was using the Elder wand, apparently transfigured into birch.

Hermione resolved to look into these matters and deal with the menace, cauterize it, if it comes to that.

The reporters started asking questions, until a strong voice said, "Silence! Mr. Malfoy, I have here a warrant for your arrest issued by the Wizengamot, for slander. The guards will take you to your cell."

Draco snorted, he laughed contemptuously and replied in the coldest veneer of hospitality, "You are a bunch of louts, you and your precious Wizengamot. They have no feeling for magic. They treat it with blind eyes. Indeed they are like unwashed apes trying to teach a class. They are slime."

"You should have learned magic, really learned. Especially you, Studious Weasel! The Contract I insisted we sign is a Magical Holographic contract. That means that as long as a small part of it continues to be followed, the rest must be strictly adhered to. You have control of Malfoy Vaults 00 to 100, whether they are empty is no concern of mine. You could own any known Malfoy property. The fact that you cannot find any is a mark of your slothfulness. In return the Malfoys remain free. The Contract was signed by your duly authorized representatives. Therefore it binds all."

"You can try and coerce my liberty, but the Contract will not allow that. It will grab the miscreant and throw him or her into prison. So go on, and make my day!"

Draco smirked infuriatingly, and that set off five Aurors, who came to the front and launched attacks on Draco.

However, none succeeded. In fact the spells were reversed in mid-air and flung back to their casters, and then these vanished, presumably thrown into prison.

Draco taunted them, "I guess these oafs were Gryffindor Aurors! Anyway, do more of you want to visit prison?"

The Aurors, aghast, looked at their leader, who shook his head. They left and skulked back to the Ministry.

Draco addressed the reporters, "You have just witnessed why we cannot trust the Ministry. They spent a 20-Auror force to wait for me and ambush me, to imprison me. Why? Because of some stupid slander charge. They might as well have accused me of having blond hair. The Government has sunk too low and must be renewed, changed, or we go down with it."

"I and 30 other pureblood families have stopped completely all reparation payments, grants to St. Mungo's, grants to Hogwarts, etc., until our conditions are met. Mainly the conditions are the complete renewal of the Ministry, and the Wizengamot, it seems. There are specific people that we want to see blacklisted, mostly all department heads have to go. Quite often there are lower-echelon people who are quite efficient but do not have the pull of their bosses. We aim to give these people a hand."

A reporter commented seriously, "But you cannot do that! Without the reparation fund, the Ministry will be forced to cut down most of its functions."

Draco replied, "Then I urge you to say to the public that only their pressure for a renewal of the Government will keep it afloat."

The reporter retorted with, "But you can't mean that, sir. It's too horrible to contemplate!"

Draco answered calmly, "I do mean it. What is reality that I should be mindful of it? The Aurors meant to arrest me, shut me up and never let me go free. You all allowed them to! You could have mounted some resistance, called on their conscience, do something, but you did not. You care not what happens to me, as long as I can provide you with money for you to continue your life."

"If you're so satisfied with the Ministry, then sink with it! I will not!"

Another reporter stated, "Mr. Longbottom, it is a surprise to see you with these other people. Many of them are from Slytherin, which always treated you with contempt."

Neville answered with quiet dignity and strength. "Yes, they did. You have to remember though, that there were spies in Hogwarts, not all of them from Voldemort, who would report at once any unexpected gesture, like helping someone you shouldn't."

"It took me some time, but I became aware of a code in their insults, designed to warn me. Voldemort always was interested in me, he knew I was a possible adversary if something happened to Harry. Through the long years, he tried to kill me several times, and it was only the sometimes cryptic warning of my Slytherin _faux_-persecutors that allowed me to escape the plots."

"And this last year, watching the antics of the Death Eaters in Hogwarts made me a little stir crazy, so that I had to make a stand. Unfortunately, they tortured me, and would doubtless had tormented me more, until I lost my sanity like my parents, if it hadn't been for Draco, who was there. He offered, with a malicious smile, to torture me for fun. The Death Eaters believed him and stayed a while to enjoy the display of curses. These were colorful and seemingly painful, but in reality they didn't hurt. Afterwards we took a secret passage to Slytherin and I could enjoy some time with sensible, somewhat caring individuals."

Hermione was seething. How dare Neville betray them like this, being friends with the slimy snakes? While Harry and Ron and she were God knows where, chasing the horcruxes, Neville was warmly safe in the castle, chatting it up with the snakes! She would have to reread the very useful book Harry found in Grimmauld Place, _The_ _Mind and its tricks _about control. She might have to use that!

Neville continued, "Although Draco often was not present because he was required elsewhere, his friends offered their advice and banter, wanted or not. Blaise, Theo, Millie, Greg and Pansy were pleasant, and Crabbe was guardedly neutral. I'm afraid to say I used them as a sounding board to find out how to rebel without losing my life in the process. They contributed with many stratagems to my successful baiting of the Death Eaters, as is the wont of Slytherins."

"They were the only ones in the castle who took a practical approach towards vanquishing Voldemort. They got me thinking about the Sword of Gryffindor, and how it could be used against Voldie or Nagini. The other houses would of course fight bravely against Voldemort, but there was no strategic thinking with them. They also helped me to reign in my temper, cooling it with Slytherin wry humor and sarcastic wit."

tbc


	7. Second twist

Time continued to fly, and soon there would be two weeks until the beginning of the school term. Draco had arranged for Hogwarts to be taken off the _Fidelius _charm, without the Ministry seizing it.

Eventually the time came when the Ministry ran out of funds and had to curtail 90 of its operation, while the newspapers, most notably the _Prophet_, hounded them about their supreme greed and nearsightedness.

Draco wanted to have some relaxation, so he persuaded Narcissa to go to a bullfight in Spain . At first she was afraid they would be captured, but Draco reassured her on that point. He'd also invite Lucius, who was the one who introduced him to bullfights.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The bullfight was intense, dramatic, completely unfair and yet it satisfied a part of Draco's hunger for the unknown.

The bull was gored by other people, the _rejoneadores_, until the _matador_ showed up. At that moment the bull was completely weakened by all of this, he put up a good fight but the results could be foreseen.

Draco looked at the intensely blond heads of his parents, how the fierce Spanish sun illuminated their countenances. They looked quite different wearing light summer Muggle clothes. He conjured a magical camera and it took a photo. He knew it would become his favorite, next to the one of him, Daphne and Scorpius.

He knew what he had to do to allow moments like this to create themselves forever.

Draco convinced Narcissa to stay in Spain for a week. They went to the beach, built castles in the sand and had a lot of fun. At the end of the week Narcissa and Lucius returned to Britain separately from Draco. They had to go to a meeting of the Board of Governors, where Lucius's maneuverings had granted them the majority.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHHRHR

The next day, Draco was grumpily getting out of bed when Narcissa called him, "You should get here, Draco and read this! It'll make your day!"

Draco hurried and walked elegantly – or ran – to the dining room. He grabbed his breakfast and turned to look at his mother, who looked as if she were a blond peacock Animagus who somewhat forgot to change.

His mother thrust the paper at him and beamed at him, "Read what you have wrought, Dragon! Hopefully it's the beginning of something good."

Draco read:

_**Shacklebolt and rest of Ministry resign**_

_Faced with increasing public pressure, as expressed in the number of Howlers and curses sent their way, and faced with the closure of all essential services, rendering the Government inactive, Kingsley Shacklebolt and cohorts were forced to resign._

_There are rumors that this occurred under wandpoint, but these rumors are baseless, for then the resignation would not take effect. Whatever happened, it's clear that only the immense pressure brought to bear on Shacklebolt could cause him to bend._

_The Government was headless for a few hours. All department heads resigned. Lower-echelon people will have their chance to prove their mettle as they grasp the reigns of Government._

_The Wizengamot dissolved itself. It was reconstituted hours later with the runners-up of the elections, or the heirs of magical families, as dictated by tradition._

_It remains to be seen how Draco Malfoy and allies react to this development. It is hoped that they will act favorably, since their demands were met, although at the cost of waiting an inordinate amount of time at the behest of a stubborn Shacklebolt._

_On related Malfoy news, Hogwarts has reappeared. Everything is ready to receive many students to their last year and continue the glorious task of educating them. The new Ministry, asked point-blank if they would attempt to seize Hogwarts as a Malfoy property they can own, denied energetically any such plans._

HRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco was nervous. Today he'd come to Hogwarts, and eventually he'd fight his demons, and let's not forget about the part of saving the world.

He had many memories of Hogwarts now, they were mostly cold, forbidding and hurtful. He would punish those who sought to do him harm.  
He descended from the Thestral carriage and gave his arm to Pansy, while making small talk with Goyle and Nott, the Nott that was Potter's spy, the Nott who would soon realize it did not pay to betray Malfoy.

He looked to the side and found Longbottom walking nearby. He called out to him, and Neville answered with a curt, "Malfoy."

Draco was intrigued. He and Neville had a deep friendship, and he didn't think it would be easy to break that, given who Neville was. He decided to use his _Legilimency_. When next Neville looked at him, Draco murmured "_Legilimens!"_ and dived in his mind.

What he found was surprising. He found that many capabilities of Neville's were bound, like his magic had been. There was a tenacious fog that continually tried to impede Neville's progress. In the tapestry of his mind, there was a highly discordant thread that kept ruining the beauty of the whole in order to cage it, tame it, into something it wasn't.

Draco was enraged and incensed. Unlike Gryffindor heirs, he didn't have the crutch of the Protection Charm to project fearsome conditions and declare to all and sundry his anger. Instead he decided to fix the problem.

Taking out the thread would take too much time. He decided to ease its strictures, change its color and cut any connection it might have with the outside world.

Next he tackled the bindings. If they came from the same source, as he fervently believed, they would be amenable to the same spell. He murmured "_Catenas nula!"_ directing the spell to Neville. He could see the reaction in his mind, how the fog visibly thinned and eventually disappeared.

Draco walked to the Great Hall deep in thought. Dumbledore had cast the binding spell on Neville, to limit his magical prowess. It would seem he wanted no one to overshadow his Gryffindor heir.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

In the Great Hall, they took their accustomed places in the Slytherin table. However, Horatius Flint, Ted Entwhistle and John Aversage started heckling Draco. Flint said, "Come back to betray us, Malfoy? You have nothing to offer us, your stunt at the Ministry was a one-time thing! You'll betray us as you betrayed the Dark Lord, you are nothing but…"

Draco had grown tired of the rant. He used his wand to cast an Imperturbable Spell around the table, so nothing that happened inside that charmed circle would be noticed or heard. Having done that, he cast _Crucio_ on the three hecklers. The other Slytherins were watching in awe, because very few people are able to cast two _Crucios,_ three simultaneously was considered impossible.

After seven minutes of the curse, Draco said, "No one hears us because I wished it so. Do any of you think that the rest of them would give a damn if they could hear your cries of pain? They would not! They don't care about us because we are Slytherins. I don't care what they say, but I won't stand by while any of you flings mud at me. If you have the guts to challenge me, then you have the courage to find out what it will cost you."

"You three, enjoy this night, because tomorrow you'll be leaving Hogwarts."

Flint answered in outrage, "But you can't expel us!"

Draco replied, "But I will write to your families. Of course they know what is good, essential for their financial well-being and will recognize that you do not belong here. They'll come pick you up tomorrow."

At that moment Draco felt a sudden change in his magic, as if one side of him were under some kind of pressure. Guessing what would happen next, he hurriedly took off the Imperturbable Spell, just behind a flustered Harry Potter.

Potter looked enraged enough to spit nails. He neared Draco and said, "I don't know how you did it Malfoy, but I will oppose you. You are not the best choice, are you?"

It looked like Potter would stay for a while, but then Neville materialized next to him and managed to lure him back to the Lion's table promising to listen to his exciting tales of horcrux-hunting.

Draco smiled secretively to Neville's back as they were going out. It was still too early for his plan.

Before the meal, the Headmistress announced the usual school business. Then she got to tell the names of the Head Girl, who unsurprisingly was Hermione, and Head Boy. Here it looked as if she had to visibly gather strength – or patience – as she announced that Draco Malfoy would be Head Boy.

The Slytherins were grinning, the Ravenclaws were cautiously approving. The Hufflepuffs reserved their judgment, and the Gryffindors fumed, thinking they'd been defrauded. Either Harry should have it, or Ron, or anyone but Malfoy.

Harry looked angry, but Ron looked dreamy. He'd noticeably lost hair, so he didn't have the mane he had before. One thing alarmed Harry: Ron had let up in his Malfoy rants, which were a feature of their life together. Now when Harry mentioned Malfoy, Ron would blush and stutter, which was a completely wrong demeanor when listening about Malfoy, in Harry's opinion.

HRHRHRHRJRHR

In the first days of school, Draco made it a point to meet Weasley right outside the Gryffindor Tower. It gave him the chance to observe when there were few people, the opportunity to deal a good blow against the blasted Trio. Unfortunately his Head position forced him to room with the Muggleborn, and Merlin knows how that would turn out, given what would happen soon.

Hermione joined Harry and his friends as they trooped back to Gryffindor Tower. They were going to pick up Ron. He'd turned a conscientious eye toward his school work and tried to work on his essays, as he told them, but he'd forgotten to eat! Seriously unlike Ron.

They murmured the password: _Malfoy sucks!_ Privately Hermione thought it was a little childish. She much preferred finding spells that would work on him and give away all his secrets.

There were gasps all around. What the brave Gryffindors had never imagined was staring at all of them.

Ron was on the couch, naked, resting on his knees and hands. Malfoy was behind him, fucking him. At first they tried to console themselves with the thought that Malfoy was raping Ron, until they noticed Ron's feverish frenzy, how he was actively impaling himself on Malfoy's cock, how he sought to increase the friction. He was also moaning and shouting, "Harder, faster! Deeper!"

Things started to fly around the room, as Harry's anger took hold. He felt so betrayed by Ron and Draco! They had no right to fuck like bunnies! He wanted to hurt them so bad! But he knew that he could never hurt Ron intentionally.

So he shoved Ron away, using his powers, and cast again _Sectumsempra_ on Draco.

Almost immediately, a Slytherin Prefect appeared on the entrance to the room, made a quick estimate of the situation and intoned, "_Convenitas protego!_ I seek the protection of Hogwarts for a student amidst many enemies!"

Hermione asked, "What did you do?"

The Prefect, Daphne Greengrass, replied, "Hogwarts will protect him until the teachers or Headmistress arrives here."

Hermione said, "But Malfoy's hurt with the curse. We need to get to him now!"

Daphne said wryly, "If you are as concerned as you purport yourself to be, you'll get McGonagall."

Harry couldn't tear his eyes from the vision of a bloodied Draco Malfoy. While it was something he gloried in, he wanted the feeling to last through years. He didn't want Draco dead, he just wanted him broken. He tried to succor him, go to him but the spell prevented him. There was no way to reach Draco, nor did his magic work in that space. It was maddening to see Draco wilting away and being unable to help.

Harry said, "Hermione, go get McGonagall now!"

Hermione went to the door and nodded.

It took McGonagall twenty minutes to arrive there.

Draco was already dead.

tbc


	8. Draco's Revenge

_paigeey07: He will not.  
Lilith: Pretty perceptive! _

As Daphne watched the still body of Draco Malfoy, she was immensely glad he had stopped her and talked with her at length yesterday.

She had always had a strong attraction to Malfoy, and was discouraged to see him devote all his attention to following the Dark Lord's dictates and dogging Potter's footsteps. Despite the close friendship they had, nothing else of substance had grown between them, and she was discouraged, until Draco asked her to perform this service, to lay in wait at the front of Gryffindor Tower, enter and cast a specific spell.

When Daphne had asked him to be on the level with her and tell her the truth, Draco had scowled, and it looked as if he might refuse. However, he took out a worn-out photograph, watched it and said, "I will tell you everything, Green Eyes, and if at the end you want to kill me, I won't oppose you."

So Draco explained to her about the future, their son, about the Protection Charm, about his dreams and the Dementor's Kiss. He offered her the photograph, saying, "This is the most precious of my possessions, because it shows what matters the most."

The photograph took away Daphne's breath. A future Draco Malfoy looked dashing enough, if with less hair, her future self looked tidy, and between them, a Mini-Draco. Scorpius looked at his father with love, and covertly watched his mother, a shy smile lifting the corner of his lips. Draco acted like the big Dad, and it was plain to see that in reality, he was wound tight around Scorpius's fingers, and she looked greatly satisfied at her family.

Draco said, "So you see, Daphne, our son died, I could not prevent it, I was shut off in Azkaban." Then Draco hugged her as if she was a life-saver and burst crying. It was the first time he had cried since Sixth year in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, that is, it was the first time he cried in 20 years.

Daphne knew then that this moment was special. Whatever happened, wherever they got to, they had each other. She vowed to help Draco, in honor of the future that never could be.

In explaining his Machiavellian plans, Draco, as was his wont, tended to use curt explanations, which might be why so many plans failed. He'd only asked her to use the spell, and didn't say what would happen. Knowing him, it would be something convoluted. She didn't think dying was convoluted enough for Draco, so she was sure that it wasn't Draco who was dead. Please Merlin, let it be so!

McGonagall arrived, together with Slughorn, and while the Head of Slytherin was interviewing them, the Headmistress passed through the spell. He checked the body and pronounced it dead.

It was at that moment that the body started to rapidly change its features. Everyone was startled. Daphne inwardly rolled her eyes at the unsuspecting and naïve Gryffindors, conveniently forgetting her doubts.

When the change finished, the body that was on the couch was Theo Nott.

Looking at Harry's stricken face, Daphne could deduce the probable relations among the usual suspects. Nott was probably on Harry's side and reported on Draco. The Dragon found out (nothing strange considering his timely resources) and this is a kind of double whammy of revenge.

Slughorn said that he had to communicate to the Ministry, to speak to the Aurors, and Harry paled. McGonagall tried to stop him, but she legally had no grounds to do that. In fact, failure to act would put her in judicial jeopardy.

HRHRHRHRHRH

They were given 24 hours to prepare their case. On the day they would travel by Floo to the Ministry, the _Prophet_ declared loudly that Harry Potter had killed a fellow student in Hogwarts, and the school had stood by and not punished him. There was hidden talk about an intended rise in Death Eaters and magical creatures.

Harry, Ron and Hermione went to the Ministry, to the main judgment room. It was full. Some Hogwarts students were present, among them Draco Malfoy, Daphne Greengrass, Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom. Harry was forced to sit in the chair of the Accused and wear chains.

There was one visage that was drinking every nuance of feeling in Potter's face. Draco had halfway expected the Protection Charm to be deactivated by Potter killing someone in a rage, but apparently the Charm didn't consider this to be a treacherous attack, or not strong enough to disarm itself. This really lent weight to the theory of the Charm being self-aware and influencing the Heirs. Could this be why Potter is invariably drawn to danger? Could it explain his cavalier attitude towards life, towards Draco? If the Charm were lifted, how would Potter react?

But this was material for the future. Right now he would strike at Potter's blind zone; his friends.

The prosecutor, Mr. Wilson, called on different witnesses to depict what had happened. Then he called George Weasley. There was a hum of expectation and Weasley took the chair. Mr. Wilson offered Weasley to undertake his testimony under _Veritaserum_, and he would ask only five questions. Weasley agreed.

They asked him, "Have you developed a potion to achieve Veela powers?" "Yes"

"To which uses could such a potion be put" "To create an unbeatable army"

"Have you tested the potion" "Yes"

"Do you intend to create this army?" "Yes"

"Did Harry Potter know about this?" "Yes, he did. He financed the research."

Everybody was gasping and talking loudly to their neighbors, until some spells quieted the noise.

And everything was set for Ron Weasley's testimony. Ron Weasley was called to the chair. He took the _Veritaserum _and was asked:

"Did you willingly take this potion" "Yes"

"What are your goals?" "To create a Veela army to assure the will of Harry Potter."

"Do you belong to the Light?" "Light, Dark, they are just labels and not what matters. What's important is that everybody follows Harry."

What Ron didn't know is that the potion he'd taken, which converted him into a Veela, had left him wide open to the Veela Allure, the unassailable call of powerful Veelas to do as they say. Draco was not technically a Veela, but he did have their powers, among them the Allure, which he could use to make Ron answer any way he wanted.

And it was through means quite similar to those employed by Potter and friends that Ron Weasley and his brother were served swift revenge.

Hermione was beside herself trying to process all this new information. She'd been happy, as happy as she could be plotting the downfall and hurt of Malfoy, she was overjoyed to see that her control spells worked on Neville. Then all this happened. Now things were out of kilter, Ron and George incriminated by their stupid testimony. The problem was that with this Ministry, they had no pull. OK, some pull due to the Boy Who Lived, but it would not extend to the Weasleys.

The prosecutor, in his closing statement, said, "I ask that a dangerous individual be sent a message that unrestrained anger is not good enough. I also ask for a long stay in Azkaban for the Weasleys. Attempting to get the powers of magical creatures to create armies is something that used to belong to the Dark side. Now it appears in a Light family. Will it be treated the same or will the family get special treatment because it originally comes from the Light? What we do today will determine many things in the future. Choose wisely."

The Wizengamot deliberated and voted, and finally Chief Warlock Stevens stated, "The nature of your service to the Wizarding World is not open to discussion, Mr. Potter, what you did, such an act of heroism, saved us all from the crazed Dark Lord. The world owes you for that." Harry gloated, he was going to get off scott free!

The Chief continued, "However, you killed a fellow student just because you were displeased with whom Mr. Weasley had sexual relations. Furthermore, you killed him using a Dark curse, you, who are so intent upon pointing out the loathsomeness of Dark Magic. Obviously a corrective measure is needed, and consequences need to be drawn."

"The murder will be classified as a misdemeanor. You are hereby forbidden from seeking employment with the Ministry for ten years. You are strictly forbidden to make or buy potions, if you need any the Matron will give them to you. You will be on probation for a period of three years. You will report to an Auror for weekly talks. You will also have bi-weekly appointments with a counselor. If any terms of this probation are violated, then the complete judgment comes into effect and you will be sent to Azkaban at once, hero or not."

"George Weasley: for your reckless experimentation with forbidden materials, and conspiracy against the Government, you are hereby condemned to 20 years in Azkaban."

"Ron Weasley: for allowing yourself to be so recklessly used in the schemes of your brother and Potter, for conspiracy against the Government, you are condemned to Azkaban for 20 years."

"Take away the prisoners."

And Draco observed minutely Potter's face, how it expressed utter pain. One of his goals had been achieved: the Golden Trio was no more.

He and Daphne, and Neville and Ginny were walking out of the room, when Draco faced a distinctly furious Hermione. She said, "This is your entire fault, Malfoy, it's thanks to you that the Weasleys were condemned!"

Draco replied coolly, "Not at all! It was Potter who became criminally insane and used the Dark spell. It was George Weasley who decided to create such a potion. It was your empty-headed boyfriend who decided to use it!"

Hermione fumed, she whipped out her wand and started the incantation to transform Malfoy into a ferret when a cold voice stopped her, saying, "If you don't stop at once, I will turn you into a chipmunk!"

The haughty voice continued, "What the heck! I will do it anyway." Then Daphne muttered the incantation and Hermione was transformed into a chipmunk.

A brown, _bushy_ chipmunk, who chattered angrily at them. Her screeches were altogether too reminiscent of human Hermione's rants. She stomped her paws angrily at them, and her ruffled tail was displayed to great effect.

Her beady eyes regarded them all malevolently. When she recognized Malfoy, the enraged Gryffindor rodent seemingly calmed down, only to prepare to jump and pounce on him, intending to wreak havoc.

It was only Neville's quick intervention that saved Draco, or at least his clothes. Neville muttered: _Stupefy!_ and froze Hermione. Later he would comment it was something he had wanted to do since a long time ago.

Draco grabbed the stupefied chipmunk and took her to Potter, who was still bound to the chair. He put her on his lap and said in his most infuriating drawling voice, "Here's a member of the Golden Trio. You should take more care of her now, Potter, since the other member of the group is unavailable."

Draco could sense the magic preparing to free Potter, preparing to have Potter curse him, so he decided a strategic retreat was in order.

HRHRHRHRHRHRH

Sometimes friendships perplexed Draco. Not his Slytherin friends so much, because he understood where they were coming from, the web of tradition and alliances they relied on. Neville was altogether another case. If ever Draco had hated Gryffindor, it was Neville that convinced him that there were good people there anyway. He was a truly unassuming hero, and Draco was convinced he should have been the Boy Who Lived if not for Dumbledore's meddling.

Draco could read his friend's behavior, and sensed his attraction to the Weaselette. Now ordinarily he would taunt him or something, but this time he wanted to help.

So he hurried to approach the Weaselette before she Apparated away. He led her to an empty room in the Ministry. He cast wards to prevent anyone listening in.

Ginny was tense, and asked, "Why do you want to talk to me, Malfoy? You want to gloat about my brothers?"

Draco replied, "I wanted to tell you something. About your brothers, they were not good brothers at all, like Bill and Charlie and even Percy. They were Potter's men through and through, and would follow him to hell. Potter's cruelty seemingly seeped on to them."

Ginny gasped, and timorously asked, "How do you know this?"

He answered, "It's one advantage of having such an explosive rivalry with him. I study him carefully. Your brothers didn't regard you as a sister, but merely as a pliable tool to use to coddle Potter."

Ginny protested weakly, "But Harry and I, we are destined for each other!"

He replied, "Let me offer a probable future. Eventually you marry him, but one fine day you discover he's been having a torrid affair with someone for years. The other person is me."

"It wasn't that Weasley was being fucked that set him off, it was the fact that it appeared to be me. He was so jealous, he wanted to hurt me real bad and cast that curse, knowing he'd cast it on me before. It was his calling card, his form of punishment, and believe me when I tell you that Harry Potter knows all about how to administer punishment."

Analyzing his words, Ginny had to concede grudgingly they made perfect sense. She asked, "Is this all you wanted to tell me?"

He answered, "No, there's an important piece of news which could change your life if you let it. It would seem that you attract the attentions of heroes. Potter is not the only one who is after you."

tbc


	9. Third twist

_paigeey07: Here's some more twists.  
Lilith: That will come up, and it might change the feelings, or it might not._

Harry was immensely demoralized by the loss of his best friend. Without Ron to rant with, to accompany him in his nightly excursions, life seemed boring. It didn't help that the papers called him the "Boy Who Killed" and wondered about the lack of school punishment.

His classmates looked at him oddly, especially the Slytherins. Other people he'd contacted in that house turned their backs on him, and he had no one to report Malfoy's movements. Ginny was acting standoffish, and it was an attitude he had believed he had cured Ginny of. He couldn't use the Invisibility Cloak to search for her because he had loaned it to Hermione. Hermione also worried him, she seemed possessed by her research, and she was reacting badly to the taunts about the chipmunk.

People left nuts for her to find out, and she was mortified, although the first days after she was transformed, she seized the nuts with gusto. The Slytherins called her "Chipmunk" and the rest of the school fell into that routine. It must've been very irritating for her.

He found Ginny on the fourth floor, courtesy of the Weasley Twins and the Marauders' Map. He spoke with her and stole some kisses from her. She looked unreasoning, so she kept up his attentions. If she was so stubborn maybe it was time to begin breaking her will.

Just when he was groping her comfortably, a cool voice drawled, "How disgusting, a half-blood and a blood traitor make out, spare me the sight!"

Harry snarled and turned around. He saw Malfoy there, cool as a cucumber, smirking and saying suavely, "I would think you would be interested in Gryffindor rodents, like your brainy chipmunk!" Harry was enraged and didn't see Draco turn to Ginny and mouth urgently "_Go!"_

Presently the duel started. Draco was prepared for the Protection Charm to handle all attacks and deflect them, while subtly sabotaging his defenses. When Harry attacked, Draco used protection shields, knowing that they would have a defective part that would invariably let the spells through, so he jumped, rolled aside, and countered that otherwise physically.

His attacks, though impressive, fizzled on the face of the Charm's power; still, they tired Potter out, which was his intent.

For the first time in his life, he did not lose a duel to Potter. They ended in a stalemate.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Later that week, Draco felt the urgent need to walk on the third floor. Seemingly he knew where to go, where to turn to. Soon he was in front of an ornate door. One part of his mind urged him to back off, but the more adventurous, Gryffindor part encouraged him to go on. Just as he tried to walk away from the door he recognized a spark of desire so bright it illuminated his internal landscape, and recognized a trap. Whatever waited beyond the door, there were compulsion charms in effect that would bend his will.

This smacked of sophistication unknown to Potter. Damn _Chipmunk!_

He was compelled to touch the door, and felt another charm activate. He entered the room and beheld a large mirror, mysterious lights glimmered in its depths, and he had the feeling that he was trapped, completely caged. He was forced to go nearer and could read the mirror's inscription. His stomach plummeted as he realized he was in front of the infamous mirror of Erised. His deepest desires would be revealed. He knew them well. He wondered if he would make it back all right, and cursed that Mudblood bitch for all eternity!

He was forced to watch, and what he saw was his undoing.  
He saw himself in the main dining room of Malfoy Manor. His parents were with him, and they had two small boys, one of which had curiously green hair.  
He was seated next to Daphne, who looked beautiful and regal in a red gown, and Scorpius was seated next to him. Scorpius laughed and pointed towards something, and Draco wanted to sink into that reality so deep that he never came out, even if it was only skin-deep.

He blinked, and when he saw the mirror again he saw Scorpius aged 20 years old, with a young raven-haired witch and a small bundle of what would be his child. Draco's grandchild.

He approached the mirror, wanting, needing, to touch it, to maybe become one with the image. He was about to do so when a hand touched his shoulder and a soft voice said, "Don't touch it, Draco! I have a bad feeling about this. Just stand back!"

Having another person for the compulsion charms to fix on, they were less intense, and Draco could move back. Neville brandished his wand and performed a spell on the mirror. He explained to Draco, "That's a spell Gran taught me to detect foreign influences and restore the purity of any object. I'm afraid the mirror was rigged so the first person who touched it would become embedded in the image. Kind of like a portrait, you would remain self-aware, and you'd know it was all an illusion."

Draco swore, "Fucking _chipmunk_!"

Neville argued, "You don't know…"

Draco interrupted, "Come on Neville, who else would think something like this! Only the resident psycho-killer bitch. Anyway, how come you were here?"

"During third year I discovered this room and the mirror. I used to see my parents and me, enjoying life and talking. I spent many an hour here, when Gryffindor seemed too inhospitable. I realized the danger of having the mirror of Erised in a school and talked to the Headmaster, but he paid no attention. I used a spell to alert me when there were people here, so I could watch over them."

"During last year, this room was a veritable stepping place for the Slytherins. They used to come and dream of a world free of Voldemort, where their families were safe. Blaise imagined his mother finally settling down, Pansy saw her parents free of servitude, Millie imagined herself loved by the school. Goyle wanted to study Muggle Law, Crabbe dutifully imagined himself a Death Eater. Many nights I spent coaxing them back to the real world. The mirror acts like a disease."

Draco said, "You truly worry about other people, Neville, with no regard to your own safety and comfort. Really a hero. However, I would like to direct your attention to Ginny. Apparently she fancies Potter, but the hard truth is that she fears him, with good reason.   
Some days ago I interrupted him when he seemed to be ready to force his will upon Ginny. We dueled and Ginny got away. You should watch her back."

Neville was very angry. Draco continued, "Now that you're fuming, I propose to you that we destroy this pesky mirror. It has no place in a magical school. It shows not reality, but a willful distortion of it. To destroy it we require the common consent of a champion of the Light and a champion of the Dark. You and I can be such people. How say you, Neville?"

Neville grinned wickedly – or as wickedly as a Gryffindor could – and replied, "yeah, OK."

Draco told Neville what spell to use. They shouted "_Speculum delenda!"_ and directed their wands toward the mirror. The mirror shattered in many thousand pieces, which turned into dust and finally disappeared.

Unbeknownst to them, a bushy witch yelled at that moment in the Gryffindor Tower, being attacked by a pain greater than _Crucio_. It seems that Hermione Granger had tied her mind to the mirror, trying to savor Draco's Calvary, and when the mirror shattered, her mind suffered as a result.

HRHRHRHRHRHRH

The next few days appeared to be free of turmoil, at least superficially. Potter kept his place and did not approach Draco. Hermione hardly ever showed up. There were dark circles under her eyes, which made some uncharitable souls mutter about a raccoon transformation.

It seemed that Draco had fallen asleep several times in his common room, which he shared with the Head Girl Granger. He couldn't recall when he'd fallen asleep, neither any dreams.

Draco thought that things were settling down, if only he could take Potter down.

_Why do I insist on blaming all my problems on Potter? I should take responsibility for my actions.  
That sounds like a Gryffindor proverb, I'm a Slytherin.  
I can't rule over the world, I must only rule myself.  
Pretty limited rule, it seems.  
But the only way to live._

This pattern kept repeating itself during the next days. He'd have a fine day, and suddenly in the midst of having an epiphany or remembering Scorpius, he'd plunge into a black abyss of despair and moronic thinking.

He was getting desperate. He imagined that the Dementor's treatment had finally stopped working and he had all his pain, all his fears back.

That night he dreamed of the parental figure that had always been with him when he faced danger: Severus Snape.

Severus was seemingly working in a golden potion, but he was throwing the ingredients haphazardly. He looked at Draco and smiled a quintessential Snape smile: tight, economical and wry.  
Draco said, "What is the potion?"  
Severus replied, "Why should you care about the potion? What makes a potion unique or useful?"  
He answered, "Because it does something special that no other potion can do."

Severus commented, "That potion was polluted with nuts from outside, therefore it no longer acts true. Only the deepest feelings can restore its purity before it's too late."

Draco diffidently said, "I haven't forgotten you, you know Severus. When things become easier I will fulfill my debt to you."  
Severus replied angrily, "What debt is that, silly boy? Just take care of your business, and I'll be all right."

Draco blinked, and when he looked again, he found Scorpius. His son looked at him worriedly and said, "I can't stay, dad. The connection has been compromised, you must find your basic strength and act ruthless, for your opponents are really treacherous."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

In the afternoon, the next day, Draco was almost dozing in the common room as he thought:

_You know that problem with Scorpius, you have blown it out of proportion.  
What do you mean?  
You are hell-bent on revenge, but Scorpius would not want that. He was a very sweet boy. He'd probably like you to make it up with the Golden Trio.  
The Golden Trio, even Chipmunk?  
Of all the… yes her too. You could have peace with them, and then devote your time to finding ways to have Scorpius when the time is right._

Draco considered this. It seemed true, at least superficially. It would provide time and resources for his search to have Scorpius in his life.

For a short while, he considered this in his innermost mind. His Will was almost made up, but there was ancient magic involved in this decision. A magic more powerful than the one which was currently interfering. This magic, provided by the Revenge Oath, acted subconsciously. The feelings and intent underlining the Oath churned at being unfulfilled, especially under such false pretenses.

He grabbed his wand, and then swiftly, without thinking, cast strongest wards on the room and also created a zone which magic could not affect, centered on him with a radius of 12 feet. Immediately the discordant notes in his mind stopped. He realized then that someone, probably chipmunk, had used spells to control and influence his mind.

Some instants later, he saw the light of several spells directed towards him. They fizzled where they touched the no-magic zone. He was interested to note that one spell was _Avada Kedavra._

He had always been able to notice the Invisibility Cloak, which is how he got Potter in the train in Sixth Year. He could sense the Cloak now. But he had been purposefully distracted.

Draco reached and ripped off the Cloak from Hermione. He drawled, "You are a fucking bitch, chipmunk!" The undaunted Hermione promptly bitchslapped Draco.

Draco sucker-punched Hermione, casting _Stupefy_. He said _Silencio!_ as he got the cloak off Hermione. Then he cast _Incendio_ at the Cloak and it burned fiercely. Hermione was surprised. She didn't expect him to retaliate so passionately. In her mind, it was all somewhat like pranks. Of course, controlling your mind could be considered a bit impolite, but they were doing it for the Light.

Draco cast a spell and vanished Hermione's clothes. Then he got a Knut coin out and wrote something on it. He explained to her, "See, chipmunk? We learned from you and this is the form we communicate. Whatever happens tonight, I won't _Obliviate_ you, because you know if you tell the story, you'll be sent to Azkaban in a heartbeat, and you'll get Kissed. Mind control is the darkest form of magic."

Then Draco looked into her eyes and intoned: "_Legilimens!"_

He carefully took note of her plans and memories, including the curious spell that she used on his wand to determine its origin. He felt like he could have some kind of breakthrough, if only he could find an anchor. He researched a particular strand of memory, which had Hermione as a Third Year reading in a book about mind control spells and using them to purportedly help Potter. She appeared to have directed him to a path of cold and cruel uncaring towards his inner family, a path of undying loyalty to the Golden Trio. Periodically she would renew the spells, dive into Potter's mind and convince him to do what she wanted, _seemingly from inside his head_.

Draco was shocked. Could this be used to explain Potter's odd behavior, or was there more, much more, to meet the eyes?  
Draco calmed down. This would have to be analyzed. Right now, there were paybacks to give.

Four Slytherins appeared at the door: Goyle, Johnson, Smith and Braun. He received them graciously and asked them, "Ever torture a chipmunk?"  
They laughed and said no. Draco asked them to hurt Hermione, when they were finished they had to take her to Gryffindor Tower and leave her in the entrance, making sure many Gryffindors saw her.

When they were done, Draco approached the naked and bleeding Hermione and said, "I changed my mind, Granger. Your knowledge is too dangerous for me now. _Obliviate ab September!_" The spell hit Hermione and her head lolled back. Draco continued, "Your memories of the last few weeks are erased, and I will suggest some new ones for you."

He ordered them, "Take her to the Tower, and make sure that Potter sees her there."

tbc


	10. The Quidditch game

A week later, things had settled into some kind of routine at the school. The next day would be the first Quidditch match of the year, Slytherin-Gryffindor. There were some changes in the Gryffindor team, most notably the absence of their Keeper Weasley. As expected, Harry Potter was made captain. 

The Slytherin team appeared superficially the same, but it had an interesting addition in Seeker and Captain Draco Malfoy. He had taken the opportunity to train them, though he kept their sessions interesting and light. He didn't want them sullen and overworked, but refreshed and improvising.

Draco finished the letter he was writing and gave it to his Eagle owl, _Barnabas, _to carry to the Minister. After the Government had caved in to his demands, he wrote informing them that he was considering renewing the fund payments, if the Wizengamot issued plenary pardons for him and his parents, and furthermore considered them for other former Death Eaters who showed desire to be reintegrated to society.

After demurring for a while, the Minister agreed to this new demand, and Draco was ready to fulfill his part of the bargain.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

One thing that worried him about the _Fidelius_ charm is that the Secret-Keeper could be tricked into revealing the information. It had nearly happened to him while he was under Granger's influence. A stream of thought seemingly wanted, insisted to know how he had formulated the letter indicating where Malfoy Manor was. Only his inborn Slytherin stubbornness and sense of secrecy kept him from thinking about this piece of information.

It was worrying. He and Daphne and Neville had prepared charms designed to protect his mind, and had put the charms in his Malfoy signet ring. If the chipmunk tried to enter and control his mind again, she'd be utterly surprised.

But the damage had been already done. The tapestry of his thoughts, emotions and desires was shamelessly trampled, moved and broken in places, just so the little Gryffindor could manipulate him so effectively. He'd read in her mind, when she tried the same spells on Harry, she took great care to protect the integrity of his mind. She took months to get results, and always obeyed the flow of his feelings.

With Draco she couldn't care less, she struck where she would.

Draco imagined his mind with very discordant threads sticking around. And like always when faced with a conundrum, Draco was alone. The only _Legilimens_ who he trusted and could help him was dead. His mother could not help him this time, neither could his friends and Daphne.

He even began to doubt if they were there at all. What if the Dementor's Kiss functioned like always and his soul was sucked? What if this was all a projection of his soul, wrenched from his body, with no ties to reality? What if he was in St. Mungo's, in the _Janus Thickey_ ward, confined to bed and living in a make-believe world? What if the _Legilimens maxima_ spell backfired and caused him to have multiple personalities, and one of these was the officious Chipmunk?

What is reality that he should be mindful of it? Especially when he doubted its very existence.

He realized then that reality was not only the outside world and its weather and people, its coldness or hotness, its hardness or softness. It was also the inner life, and its connections with the environment. When one of them hurt, so was his reality threatened.

Once before he had stood at such crossroads, considering the abyss, choosing the "dark" path to avoid more hurt. The Dementor had saved him. It seemed his time was running out again.

The whole concept of going back in time, the Charm, it was too farfetched. Surely he was imagining things?

Draco despaired, and as had become a ubiquitous gesture, he took out the old photograph and watched it in wonder. He saw the love in his family, the protectiveness of Daphne, the innocence of Scorpius, the affection in him, and he felt greatly renewed and refreshed. There was something to fight for, something to look forward to! The photograph evoked feelings in him, so deep and binding that they must be true. Deep inside his heart he knew that he would always mourn the loss of his precious child. Deep inside his magic, the Revenge Oath kept demanding fulfillment. The Oath could not be tricked. It knew that a great wrong had been made by those individuals, therefore confirming the story. There was the implication of a whole world peeking in, independent of his thoughts. Maybe later he would have a breakdown, but for now, he was ready to march, to go on.

It was not a complete proof of anything. Maybe there was no such confirmation whatsoever.

Yet he knew he had to rid the world of Potter's Protection Charm. If he survived or not was really a moot point, considering. Afterwards, the world would take care of itself, and that was enough for him.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Finally it was the day of the Quidditch game. Harry bristled at the thought of his missing Keeper and best friend, Ron Weasley, doing time in Azkaban. He had received disquieting reports. Apparently Ron had become the slut of Azkaban, and any guard who wanted could have him. He was still irascible, but it seems he'd developed a great hunger for sex.

And Hermione, after finding her at the doors of Gryffindor tower, naked and bleeding, he was incensed and wanted to know who'd done that to her. Hermione wouldn't say, she affirmed she couldn't remember. She had a vacant stare sometimes, as if she was desperately trying to remember something. Asked about the past month, she would stumble to answer. Yet she still kept to her research, skulking around the castle like a studious ghost.

Harry was a little unsure himself. He'd lost Ron, Hermione looked like a Missing in Action, and Ginny evaded him constantly, now seemingly aided by Neville. It was a strange Gryffindor territory he inhabited now.

A day after finding Hermione, Neville had given him a silver ring. He claimed it was a friendship ring belonging to the Longbottoms. Harry was pressed to reject it, but a small part of him thought that it would not hurt. Strangely, the ring seemed to calm him down. He could no longer hear the piece of himself that came up with the wildest schemes.

The Quidditch teams made their leisure way to the pitch. Madame Hooch ordered them to shake hands. Draco approached Harry and shook his hand. He sensed the twitch in the energy fields signifying that the Charm kept eternal guard over Harry and would not allow him to lose, after all, this was the same Potter that in a previous year had fallen to the ground from his broom - and still managed to catch the Snitch in his mouth! The Charm guarded him indeed jealously. However Draco controlled something the Charm did not, and that would prove to be strategically important.

Draco flew to his teammates and harangued them in an easygoing way, "You know what to do, Slyths! Play fair!"

Everyone laughed, and Goyle answered, "And of course, if we cheat, do it so no one can prove it!"

Draco laughed and replied, "Exactly. You have grown so much! I remember when you were supple as new snakes, and now you have the features of the Basilisks. Go on and dine on roasted lions!"

Everyone flew to their position. The Slytherin team had an advantage of endurance, because they had not been subject to the grueling training sessions the Gryffindors had thanks to their obsessed captain Potter.

The game soon developed a flow of its own, where the Slytherin players had not much trouble scoring past the Keeper. Occasionally a Bludger would pass by Harry or Draco as they flew high over the pitch, looking for the Golden Snitch.

When he was sure that they were comfortably in the lead, Draco moved his wand surreptitiously and called up the two Bludgers he'd had enchanted earlier. They would fly near to Harry. They wouldn't attack, thereby avoiding the immediate response of the Charm, but they would fly dangerously near to Potter. The Charm would be forced to react.

It happened as Draco imagined. The Bludgers went to Potter, and it looked for a moment as if they were intent on colliding with him. However their paths soon veered off, and they were directed to Draco. Draco pretended to be offended and disgruntled, he easily evaded them, and in the moment or two of general confusion, he felt the Golden Snitch near by.

He eagerly grabbed it. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see a glint of golden, flying about 120 feet in front of him. He pointed at it with his wand, murmured _Evanesco!_ and the golden light died.

The announcer sputtered and coughed, he stuttered, "I can't be-believe it! The upset of a century. Draco Malfoy catches the Snitch and wins the game for Slytherin! Final score 430 to 50. That damned git won!" McGonagall forcefully thwacked the announcer's head and bade him to correct his bias or he would announce no more. Seamus Finnigan fumed but continued in a nearly professional way, if his barbed and poisonous comments about Slytherins could be considered professional.

Draco was carried on the shoulders of his teammates around the pitch. He laughed and asked them to drop him.

He went to the Slytherin changing rooms. He opened his locker and took out his time-turner. He set it back 100 minutes. He used a glamour to change to a nondescript individual.

He went to the pitch and took out the Golden Snitch. He put a homing spell on it, along with notice-me-not charms which would expire when he was near, then he let the other Snitch go.

He saw the teams arrive, Potter and him shaking hands, and he couldn't help but think that it looked so right, if only for a moment. He understood then why so many people chose to Observe historical events. It brought a complete immediacy, the feeling of being right there, a part of history, of your hero, even if he never knew you were there.

If only he had this possibility with his son, he'd take it and be with Scorpius every moment, even if he could not touch him or talk to him. But Scorpius was in the future, not the past. He was part of the future he had sworn to destroy.

Next he saw his speech to the Slytherins, how smug he looked, how sure of himself. He knew that was only a mask, a mask worn out of duty and necessity.

He would not break, because if he did, the world would suffer greatly. He would try to keep on doing the impossible.

He used the time-turner and returned to his time, he cancelled the glamour and prepared for a night of celebration.

Draco went to his room. He'd requested and pressured McGonagall to place Granger in a different space, citing irreconcilable differences. He was not about to be subjected to more of her aggravating glares, neither did he trust her to keep her paws off him and to herself.

The common room looked inviting, but Draco remembered it had looked the same when his mind was being raped, and felt gnawing unease. He hurried to his bedroom.

In the bed, the elves had put the new articles of clothing he'd bought: Underwear made of dragonhide. The material was resistant to a lot of magic, spells and curses. He needed that if he expected to survive his confrontation with Potter.

For it to succeed, to convince the Charm that its escape clause was met, he'd have to speak sooth, and he couldn't use active magic, therefore his reliance on articles of clothing, which also looked to be highly uncomfortable.

tbc


	11. Renaissance

On Monday, during dinner, as the Slytherins were still feeling slightly euphoric after the unexpected victory, Draco felt a push against his mind. He knew then that Granger still sought to dominate him, to impose her will no matter the cost.

Their charms worked efficiently at containing the danger of the mental, magical probe. He was incensed and decided he'd get payback, public payback, for this latest escapade. The charms allowed him to enter the mind of the caster, when they were attempting to subdue him.

Draco did just that. He took a quick look at the Gryffindor table to see where Granger was seated. Next he mentally coaxed her, "Grab Thomas's crotch and rub it softly, until he is moaning and begging for more."

"Now push your chair backwards, take off your cloak. Kneel next to Thomas and carefully open his trousers and underwear and pull them down."

"Now softly touch his erect member and lick it. Going from the base to the crown in lazy motions. Put it in your mouth and suck it."

Draco had cast a low-level notice-me-not charm on the couple while this was going on. He'd moved their chairs by magic until they were clearly visible. Then he took off the charms and made them noticeable.

The Gryffindors were horrified to watch the behavior of the proud lioness. Many were put off their meals. Finnigan was enraged and barely restrained himself from hexing Hermione. However he went up to her and bitchslapped her.

Harry was dumbfounded. He could not believe what his eyes told him. He knew the _Imperius_ curse intimately, and he could swear that Hermione was not under _Imperius_. But to behave in such a way, it was highly disconcerting for him.

Hermione was reeling as she hurriedly put on her cloak and dashed out of the Great Hall. Why she'd suddenly decided to give head to Dean Thomas, she'd never know. She had only been trying to coax Malfoy into the right Side, to have the correct responses, and things happened from there. It was odd; she had been thwarted by both Malfoy and Harry. Lately her mind spells didn't seem to work for Harry.

She'd just have to research more.

With a deep sense of inevitability, Draco whistled for his Eagle owl _Barnabas_. He took the missive and gave it to the owl, saying "_Daily Prophet_, care of Rita Skeeter."

Draco felt pinned by a stare. He looked around and noticed Potter looking intently at him, as if he would glean the secrets of the Universe this way. That was why he had to hurry.

Currently Potter was distraught, and the plan could work, but soon he would return to be the inflexible bastard he knew so well, with Granger running interference.

He could not chance that, the Charm had to be disarmed, lifted off this reality, for it to be truly free.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The next day, Tuesday, Draco made sure to wear his dragonhide clothes, although they were itchy and cumbersome. He thought about using healing spells on them, but reluctantly decided against it. He wanted the Charm to be completely convinced of the validity of the escape clause, with no recourse whatsoever to technicalities. Therefore he would not use magic at all, or not much anyway. He used healing salves instead, which he applied liberally to his dragonhide clothes.

Eventually he was ready to go on, but first he wanted to say good-bye to his friends. He called on Pansy, Millie, Daphne, Goyle, and Blaise to stay.

He started, "Something may come up. I have a plan, as you all know, I love plans. However, it might well be the case that I end up dead." He raised his hands to forestall the questions.

"I believe that my end would be justified, if I succeed. You have been the best Slytherin friends. We were coerced by our families to react in certain ways, yet we managed to grow somewhat closer to each other. You made the experience of being in Slytherin not only about power and blood, but friends and – dare I say it? – love."

"I will always remember you. Even twenty years from now, if I should live, the memories will remain with me, giving me strength, and belief and courage."

He turned to look at Daphne and said, "I'd like to speak with you for a moment, Daphne."

When the others had gone and Draco and Daphne were alone, he took out a letter, bearing the Malfoy arms. He also got out the worn-out photograph. He delivered the letter to Daphne saying "Just some details to organize." He gave the photo to her, saying "The most precious belonging of mine. I want you to keep it for me, Daphne. If all ends well, you can give it back. If not, you can keep it."

"What I said to them about the memories, Daphne, I know it's true because the memories of you and Scorpius have truly lent me strength and peace. I love you, and if the world were a fair place, we would live a happy life. Still, the world needs me, and I must attend to it, or it will cease to be. If the worst happens, I want you to continue your life, get married and have kids. You are a wonderful mother, as you are a wonderful person; never forget that, Green Eyes."

Daphne was visibly crying and sobbing, all appearances of a pureblood lady being discarded in her grief. "You come back to me, Draco! Or I swear I will get a necromancer to bring you back and then I will dispatch you myself for leaving me alone!"

Daphne continued: "I know you have to fix the world and that goddamned Charm. It's been so little time since I got you back and now you might leave me again! Of course I love you, Dragon, and I have since Fifth year. I only imagine that misbegotten future had at least one good idea in putting us together."

"Our son, I love him, judging from the photograph. Yet it's a more wistful, paler love compared with the wrenching sobs, the intensity of feelings you have when you remember him."

"Draco, I want that intensity! I want to love and protect Scorpius so much that it hurts. And you are going to help me! You will find a way to give me back my son!"

"I know you said it was impossible, like a needle in a haystack or something, but I know you, Draco. Once an idea intrigues you, you won't let it go. You'll plan to get what you want, and eventually you will do it the Slytherin way. It's one of the many reasons I love you."

"So, Dragon, you'd better come back to me, or suffer the painful consequences."

Draco and Daphne made their way to the Great Hall. Draco couldn't help but feel a little like a condemned man about to be Kissed. All the parts of his plan would go into effect soon. His interactions with Potter, for 26 long years, gave him the most profitable path to take. Once, he'd made it a point of honor to be able to drive Potter to towering rages, and he would do that again.

They arrived to the Slytherin table and Draco sat apart from the others. When Daphne tried to sit beside him, he added, "Not today, Green Eyes. I want a little solitude."

Daphne sat with Pansy and Millie. She noticed that there was a portion of the table occupied exclusively by Draco. Thankfully there was no shortage of space, some Slytherins having dropped from Hogwarts.

Soon most other students arrived and started chattering about their day. Daphne noticed an unusually subdued Gryffindor table. Maybe they didn't like the antics of the lioness?

The owls bearing the post arrived. Many owls also delivered the_Daily Prophet._

A hush descended upon the Great Hall. Draco could see many eyes furtively sizing him up, and going immediately to Potter. It seems people were aware of the lethal combination that had just gone into effect.

Granger nudged Potter and passed him a _Daily Prophet_ newspaper, turned to page 4.

Potter read the notice of births, weddings and similar announcements, and he paled. He visibly sought to compose his face but failed miserably. His face got red, and there was the ominous sound of cutlery moving by itself and glasses breaking, when Potter lost control and let _accidental magic_ go free.

Potter wrenched the newspaper from Granger's hands, and made his way to the Slytherin table. Draco saw him coming and unobtrusively moved his wand to cast a magic-free zone. Of course it wouldn't stop Potter, but would nudge him in the right direction.

Potter stopped right beside Draco and shouted, "What's the meaning of this, Ferret?"

Draco replied smugly, "Do you mean the notice in the newspaper? Can't you read?"

Potter answered, "Don't mock me, Ferret! It says here that your parents are going to adopt Teddy Lupin! I can't believe it!"

Draco drawled coolly, "Better believe it! Mother and father are tired of the Dark things and want to start another family. We are related by blood to little Teddy. My aunt Andromeda has been kept carefully informed. She approves wholeheartedly. She will live in the Manor and she will influence decisively Teddy's upbringing. Teddy needs someone who will be there for him, not a father who offered himself as a useless sacrifice to appease the ghosts of his friends, or a mother who recklessly endangered herself without caring about what would happen to her newborn child."

Draco was pleased to notice the faint winds that stopped suddenly at the boundary of the no-magic zone. Potter was indeed in a towering rage. Time to apply the finishing touch, _matador._

Draco announced smugly, "As befits a new beginning, my new brother will change his name. He will no longer be Teddy Lupin, he will be known as Antares Malfoy. He won't have his old godfather. His new one will be Slughorn." Then Draco contemptuously went back to his breakfast, leaving a fuming Harry on his back.

Because of the no-magic zone, he couldn't use his accidental magic to blow off steam. He wanted to hurt Malfoy so much, that Fawkes appeared and deposited the Sorting Hat on the floor. Without losing a moment, Harry eagerly thrust his hand into the Hat and grabbed the Sword of Gryffindor.

Harry was tired of it all, the confusion in his mind, the anger roiling in his blood, which sometimes felt so foreign. He had lost his best friend. His other friend acted like a slut, in an incomprehensible way. His once girlfriend avoided him with good cause, because he knew that if he were given the chance, he'd take it and force his will on her.

He was losing his touch. He hadn't won the last duel with Malfoy, and he'd lost in the Quidditch pitch. But this, this was the depth of utter betrayal.

Teddy would be adopted by the Malfoys. He would lose all connections to his parents, his name, continuing the Lupin line, it would exist no more. He would no longer be Harry's godson!

Although a part of him urged caution, it was overruled by the taunting, the sneers, the utter calculation of the Slytherins and their boss. He would strike and get rid of that menace, now.

Harry shouted, "Listen to me, Ferret. You will write to your ferrety parents and tell them that they can't adopt Teddy!"

Draco turned, looked at Harry with an infuriating smirk, and contemptuously said, "I don't think so, Potter. They eagerly look forward to having another son. And frankly, you don't scare me one bit."

Draco turned his back on Potter. Harry lost all sense of proportion, and thrust the Sword of Gryffindor into Draco's back.

In attacking so cowardly and treacherously, the escape clause was duly met. There was no escaping the inflexible logic of its design. Godric Gryffindor had honestly believed that no Heir would behave in such a way. If they ever did, then they weren't heirs of his. Honestly Godric expected that his heirs would rule the world one day. It was easy to direct the attention of the other Founders where he wanted it, to suggest they use the Charm on his heir instead of Hogwarts. If he betrayed their intentions, then it was only with the best idea in mind: a peaceful world under one Heir.

A convoluted piece of magic, the Charm had existed for a thousand years. It had influenced many people, and lately it had grown to have a rudimentary voice of its own. It knew warmth when it adhered to Gryffindor ideals, no matter how old-fashioned. It knew intent when it shaped the heir into the kind of person Godric would approve of. It knew contentment when it guided the heir into the correct train of thought, emphasizing the detached qualities of leadership, the need to use and break people to the leader's will.

But eventually, the Charm was magic, subject to the rules of its creation. What the world could not do from the outside, was done from inside by the Gryffindor heir.

The Charm was disarmed; it was lifted off from the world.

The world rejoiced. People noticed the strains of a Phoenix song, the smell of white roses in spring, there were numerous flashes of light and the floor trembled ominously.

Daphne saw Potter thrust the Sword into Draco's back. Draco stood up, seemingly in pain. His cloak was getting soaked with his blood. He took out the Sword and muttered softly some healing spells to assist him. Then Draco, with more strength this time, intoned "_Accio_ Draco Malfoy's wands!" And three wands came out of Potter's cloak and reached Draco, what were apparently the Elder wand, a hawthorn one, and Potter's old wand. After pocketing them, and grabbing the Sword securely, Draco Apparated away.

Daphne blinked and saw Potter spear Draco. She was horrified to see that the Sword cut deep, deep enough to reach the other side. Draco bled, and Daphne was dismayed to note that he was dying. She went to his side and held his head as his life seeped away. She saw when Draco looked for her with eyes gone numb with pain, and muttered "_Our son…will see._" Then Draco died.

Daphne was reeling, confused, until she remembered what Draco had told her happened when his older self appeared. Apparently, if the number of time-traveling Observers was too high, reality was strained and events like this happened. She could only hope it would be so, because she found unendurable the thought of Draco dying.

She gingerly opened her eyes and watched the Hall in pandemonium. Potter had been dragged back to the Gryffindor table by confused housemates. What lifted her heart was the fact that Draco was not there. Apparently he had Apparated away, sauntering like the good Slytherin he was.

She thanked Merlin she had not looked up and seen his dead body, because then she would have surely flipped.

Now the world had been saved, and Draco lived! That meant he would work towards reuniting his little family, and Daphne would help in any way she could.

tbc

AN: Antares is a star in the constellation of Scorpius.


	12. The last player

As he Apparated to a secure room in Malfoy Manor, Draco was very thankful for the resiliency of dragonhide clothes. If it hadn't been for them, the Sword would have sliced through him, and he would have died. The healing salves also helped a lot, stemming the loss of blood.

There was so much he had to do, but he hurt too much to do it right now. He needed help and succor. He needed… his mother. He asked the elf Finky to get his mother.

Presently Narcissa showed up. Seeing him, she curtailed the questions she wanted to ask and instead checked her son. She grabbed the Sword and put it on the table, marveling at its ornate design. It looked like the Sword of Gryffindor, but it couldn't be, could it? Because she had used it, and she surely was no Gryffindor. Asked point-blank, Draco replied that it was indeed the Sword of Gryffindork.

Narcissa gave him a Blood-replenishing potion, one for the pain, and one to sleep.

In the morning, Draco woke up feeling refreshed. He called for the elf Trini and demanded a hearty breakfast. As he sat, he looked at his spoils and pondered them: the Sword of Gryffindor, presumably tamed and with no Protection Charm behind it. The three wands, one of which was the Elder wand and held what no one suspected. It was time to bring home the last player.

Draco talked quietly with Trini. Later he got dressed and when he was finally ready, he rubbed his signet ring and said, "Lord Malfoy wishes to speak with Griphook about matters of mutual interest."

There was the sound of goblin Apparition and Griphook bowed slightly and asked, "How may we be of service?"

Draco replied, "Some time ago you performed a service for me. I pledged to help you in securing an object that had been unfairly denied to you. To redeem that pledge I now give you the Sword of Gryffindor, free of any enchantment that would whisk it away from you!"

Draco offered the Sword of Gryffindor with a flourish, presenting it so the grip could be easily held by Griphook.

Griphook was astonished and visibly shook before he recovered himself sufficiently to hold the Sword he'd almost given up. He said, "You have performed most incredibly, Lord Malfoy, both in securing the Sword and ensuring the continued existence, the renaissance, of our world. We are magical creatures and we suspected the end would come soon, until yesterday, when we felt a storm of new emotions, a welter of feelings and joy that can only mean one thing: the world goes on! We remain yours to command, Lord Malfoy."

Griphook bowed to Draco, took the Sword and Apparated away.

Draco wrote to Daphne:

_Hello Green Eyes, _

_I'm happy to say I am amongst the living, thanks to wearing special clothes and using healing salves. They were the factors that allowed me to weather the storm of Potter's treacherous actions. As you can imagine, this caused the Charm to disarm. Finally we are free of that magical hairball so the world can go on its merry way._

_Your comments keep running through my mind and I wish I could offer more encouraging news, but still I have no idea how to achieve that we have Scorpius. I just feel I'm at the edge of something and every little nudge will point me in the right direction._

_I will remain in the Manor for a few days. I have to ready everything for the last player._

_How is everyone reacting to the Gryffindorks? I have the feeling their golden eggshell will disappear._

_Love, Draco_

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

After his concerned housemates pulled him from the Slytherin table, everyone was confused about what had happened. Many thought that Malfoy had tried to hex Harry and after Harry defended himself, the hex rebounded and hit Malfoy, sending him Merlin knew where.

The people who witnessed and saw Potter attack Malfoy were afraid to tell the truth, so they let the lie pass uncontested. There was also the curious fact that everybody was acting erratically. They were excited, but they didn't know why. They were jubilant for no apparent reason.

After being nagged by Hermione, Harry finally could go to his room and fall asleep. He felt exhausted and strange. The next day he continued to feel that way. He sensed that people paid him less attention than usual, which would be OK for him, but the people that did notice him were markedly less effusive. It was as if he had been diminished in their eyes, or perhaps not diminished, but rather judged objectively for once. Not fawned upon, but someone to rely on.

He also felt considerably less aggressive. Thinking back about the confrontation with Malfoy, he had to admit that the Malfoys adopting Teddy was logical, in a no-nonsense pureblood way. He frankly doubted that the Malfoys would hurt Teddy, when he was practically a Malfoy and Andromeda Tonks would also live in the Manor. His stomach twisted, thinking of all the petty things that he had let dominate his life.

Contrary to Malfoy's assertions, Harry was not a complete dolt. He could see that there was some relation between this newfound state of non-aggressiveness and the ring that Neville gave him to wear. Harry would continue wearing that ring, because he had no desire to go back to the domineering state of mind.

Many times during the day, when he was going places, he'd stop and wait for … something to catch up to him. He had the feeling that if only he would wait long enough, that elusive thing would catch up with him and then he wouldn't feel so vulnerable.

In Harry's confused and suddenly altered inner landscape, one thing remained the same: the power of the attraction he felt for Draco Malfoy. Before, he'd told himself he would only use the blond and would not care for him. He'd wanted to break his will completely.

Now, he could appreciate many things about him: his good looks, sarcastic wit, above all his endurance in taking everything Harry could throw his way and living to fight the good fight another day.

He also began seeing Ron and Hermione in another, more sinister way: Ron cruelly taunting the Slytherins, offering up his own version of prejudice. Making it appear as if all Gryffindors were good just because they had been sorted there. Holding on to his family's grudges, even though he didn't know why they originated, or if they still existed at all. Forsaking Harry whenever the mood suited him, like during the Tri-Wizard tournament and while they were searching Horcruxes.

Ron behaved more like a fair-weather friend than a true one. And he permitted it. Why? Because of the power, and strategic reasons. The Boy Who Lived needed strong ties to the Light, and who better than his best friend's family, signal Light warriors? To Harry this thinking smacked like Dumbledore's reasons. He'd have to study it more carefully.

Hermione meanwhile, coached from the sidelines. She researched the spells and mastered them, ever the tireless organizer. Harry had to wonder if she shared all the spells she found, or if she kept some of them for herself. She would abide by the rules, and if that meant disowning the Slytherins, so much the better.

These were harrowing portraits, but what made it worse was the acute knowledge that he was no better. He had engaged in despicable acts, performed cruel tactics to get his way. He could hardly bear thinking about it. This day, he yearned for Atonement.

He found himself thinking about the bi-weekly sessions he had with the counselor, Mr. Rhodes. The first ones had been spent with Harry neatly dodging questions and sneering at the poor man. Harry acted as if he was afraid of introspection and what it could bring. Now he wished he'd built a better rapport with the man. He could use the help of a professional.

The Auror he met weekly was a failure, though. He apparently wanted to impress Harry so much that he would join the Aurors, notwithstanding his 10-year ban.

Harry looked around the Gryffindor common room and found many housemates busily doing their homework. In another strange development, the teachers seemed to have become immune to the Gryffindors' charms and asked them to perform well in classes, where before they didn't bother the Gryffindors at all. They had lost 80 points today, and only Neville's correctly answering a question about Herbology had saved them from the 100 points mark.

Talking about the devil, Neville approached Harry. He asked, "You OK, Harry? You seem to be a little bit out of it today."

Harry answered, "I'm fine, just a little rattled for lack of sleep."

Neville replied, "You might want to know that Draco is in Malfoy Manor. Narcissa sent an owl and explained he is going to be there for some days. Something about a lost friend or relative, I don't remember."

Harry asked Neville in a small voice, "Do you think he will give me back my wand? In the end he _accio'd_ the three wands I carried, and I don't have one with me right now."

Neville answered, "Your wand? You had three wands? Why did you have so many?"

Harry mumbled, "My old wand, Draco's hawthorn wand and the Elder wand. He _accio'd _the three."

Neville asked, "But aren't you the Elder wand's Master?"

Harry answered, "Yes, I am. Still the wands answered to Draco, which I think makes him the new master. I just wish I had a wand now."

Neville commented, "Why did you still have Draco's hawthorn wand? Shouldn't you have given that to him at least?"

Harry blushed and looked at the windows. Of course he hadn't wanted to give the wand back to Draco. He wanted him to be fragile, dependent upon his well wishes, complacent to his moods. He wanted to own him and then utterly break him.

He didn't have to have a connection to Voldemort anymore, he was a little like the Dark Lord.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco observed the two Elder wands: one from Potter and the other he had yanked from Dumbledore's portrait. Without the glamour which made the other Elder wand look like birch, they both looked indistinguishable from each other.

They had the same magic, form, properties; yet they were not identical.

One of them, the one which was with Potter, held something unique. No one suspected what it concealed. If they had, they would have been dumbfounded and would have destroyed it.

Long before the confrontation in the Astronomy Tower, Draco had realized the existence of Horcruxes. Reading about them in a book he found very well hidden in the Malfoy library, Draco learned that to create them, three conditions must be met: a murder must occur, an object of both intrinsic value and beauty to the person in question must be on hand, and the caster of the ritual must be pure.

What is death that you are mindful of it? Especially when you hold the means of reversing it?

Draco called on Trini and received the two grim packages. He uncovered a big cauldron and started a fire under it.

He took the first package and opened it. He put the bone in the cauldron and said, "_Bone of the father, unwillingly given."  
_He opened the second package and put the hand, still dripping blood, in the cauldron saying, "_Meat of a putative ally, unwillingly given."  
_He took out a small dagger and made a cut on the palm of his right hand. He let the blood flow into the cauldron, intoning, "_Blood of a friend, willingly given."  
_Finally, he took the original Elder wand and put it in the cauldron, saying, "_Piece of a soul, unwillingly given but willingly received."_

The ritual continued and presently a tall, thin and raven-haired figure appeared. Draco draped him in a black cloak.

He stood back and said, "Welcome back, friend."

The figure eyed him stonily and replied, "Good day, Draco."

tbc


	13. Legilimens

Draco stepped back, staring warmly at his mentor and friend, who growled and asked menacingly, "How did I happen to end up here, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco gulped and replied, "Do you remember when you died, Severus?"

"Yes."

"Well, some important things have happened since then. I obtained Dumbledore's memories, performing _Legilimens maxima_ on a portrait of his, the spell that replicates the memories exactly and destroys the originals. This opened many avenues of collecting information, some of which I will share with you shortly."

"There's also the small matter of the time-turner. Actually I was 36 years old, having lived a life tortured by Potter, whose final insult was contributing to killing my son Scorpius. After I got hold of a time-turner, I returned in time to a point where my information of the future could help prevent it. Eventually I performed_ Legilimens maxima _on myself."

Snape was dumbfounded. He could hardly believe such tales, yet, there was something new in his godson's eyes that he hadn't seen before, and he had seen the boy through his worst and best moments. There was a maturity to his words, his gestures, that belied the teenager psyche.

Snape asked, "How did you get me here?"

Draco replied, "I read the book _Horcruxes in Time _by Canonica Forza , which was cunningly hidden in the Malfoy library. It told about them and how to create them. I knew I might need the information sometime, so I memorized it. Apparently you need a person to commit murder, an object that holds beauty and significance to that person and a pure one to cast the incantation, which I learned by heart."

"At the Astronomy Tower, I truly did not want to kill Dumbledore, however, you appeared and I knew you were going to murder him. I mumbled the incantation and focused on an object I knew you venerated as symbol of Dumbledore's power and wisdom: his wand. The requirement of the pure caster was met because I did not have Voldemort's Dark Mark. I stubbornly kept postponing it, somehow imagining that one day it would impede me to do something I wanted."

"For the ritual, I used the bone of your father, the hand of someone you secretly despise, Fenrir Greyback, and my blood."

Snape commented, "Fenrir, wasn't he….?"

Draco answered, "No, that was someone else under Polyjuice. The real Fenrir lacks a hand now, and unfortunately he cannot wear a silver one due to his nature." Draco smirked ferociously. During the months of servitude under Voldemort, Draco and Fenrir had often disagreed, and he couldn't stand the overbearing werewolf.

Snape asked, "Why have you brought me back?"

Draco answered, "To pay a debt. I owed you a life-debt for your unfailing help during Sixth year, for sticking up for me and caring about me. Yet it is much more than a debt. Now I consider it fully repaired."

"You have always been there for me, Severus. You've been much more of a father figure than Lucius. You never betrayed my trust. Never. I had to do what I had to keep you alive. I want you to be happy."

"I will support whatever you decide. If you should decide to return to Hogwarts, I'll stand behind you. If you want to teach elsewhere or do something else, I'll support you. If you should decide you want to be dead, I would help you, even to cast the _Avada Kedavra."_

"Your life is yours to live. Just as my debt is repaid, so have your debts been repaid by your death. You no longer owe anything to the Potters!"

Draco took out his hawthorn wand and gave it to Severus. "Here's my wand, now yours. You can keep using it or get a new one if you want to."

Draco took out the Elder wand and swished it. A Pensieve was transported to the middle of the room. Draco directed the Elder wand against his forehead and commented, lazily drawling, "Remember that I have Dumbledore's memories! From them I present you two tidbits, which maybe will help you with the debts." The memories condensed in the point of the wand and were later dropped into the Pensieve.

Snape touched the Pensieve and was sucked into the first memory.

He could see the Gryffindor common room. Given his attention to detail, invaluable in his work as a spy, he was able to ascertain rapidly that he was in 1977. There were posters of the _Muggle_ movie _Star Wars_. The room was empty, except for Lily Evans, sitting on the couch, she was visibly impatient about something. Dumbledore joined her, and she started ranting.

"Honestly, Headmaster, why do I have to stay friends with the slimy git? Why should I protect him when it is I who think up the pranks we play on the Slytherin git? If you haven't found out, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter are not the smartest blokes in the school."

"I really liked the prank where he was levitated and turned upside down. But then, you make me act so contrite and understanding to Snivellus!"

Dumbledore sighed and replied warily, "It is necessary, Lily. He must have attachments to the Light, more specifically, to a female member of the Potter family, which could be you. We need to convince Severus that we care about him, and your playacting helps us in doing that."

Severus seethed, and the memory ended. Soon the mist disappeared and he was immersed in another memory.

Severus took a look at the calendar in the Headmaster's desk and recognized the day of the confrontation in the Astronomy Tower. Harry was there. Apparently the two were about to go out when Harry said, "Aren't you worried, Headmaster?" Dumbledore answered, "I am not. Any attack against us will fail; in fact I'm completely sure of this. Besides, you must know that no matter what, Snape belongs to us! We have him bound in ropes and bonds he cannot escape, for they are made of the stuff of pureblood mythology. His own heart works for us, and against him."

Draco gave Severus some time to regain his composure, and said, "I need your help, godfather."

Snape asked, "How?"

Draco replied, telling Snape about his encounters with Mrs. Granger and her inquisitive, playful raping of his mind. He ended up saying, "She really messed up my inner balance. I need someone with_Legilimens_ abilities like you, Sev'rus!"

Snape was enraged and was muttering about "Gryffindor know-it-alls who think they know the best, Gryffindor wrong-headedness masquerading as valor, Gryffindor willfulness and contempt for authority."

Snape said icily, "You should have taken more care, you silly boy! You think up grand schemes but leave open windows of vulnerability like this one! I see I will be forced to return to Hogwarts and look after you. I am doomed to look after platinum-blond airheads who bring me back from the dead!"

Draco knew that this scathing commentary was Snape's way of committing himself, and he was relieved.

Severus ordered Draco, "Now sit here in this chair, and I'll see what I can do."

Snape said clearly, "_Legilimens,_" while pointing the hawthorn wand towards Draco's head and carefully watching his eyes.

And Snape's spell and power as a _Legilimens_ rang true. He was able to observe the general shape of Draco's mind. He had done such things before with Draco. Now he could observe that the structure was greatly improved, the filigree construction was sturdy, durable and beautiful, like Draco himself.

He also observed some very discordant threads, which threatened to cajole the whole into occupying less space, threads which appeared to smother the other parts.

He directed his attention and his long experience as a _Legilimens_ under Voldemort and Dumbledore to eradicate this menace. Mostly he succeeded. Where the thread was too deeply ingrained, he simply changed its color and orientation and made it compatible with the whole, so it wouldn't try to dictate new growth.

Eventually he finished and left Draco's mind. Looking at the watch, he was astonished to learn that one hour had gone by.

Draco had taken the precaution to ward the doors to this room, after ordering Trini to keep the secret.

So it came as a complete surprise for Draco when his wards were brutally cancelled. Immediately he imagined it was an attack by enraged Death Eaters or the Order, but it was worse.  
Narcissa thundered in, shouting, "Draco, why, oh why is it that the wards suddenly recognized the magical signature of Severus Snape materializing _within _the Manor!"

"What have you done, Draco? Please tell me you didn't participate in a Dark ritual and suddenly raised your godfather from the dead! Tell me you at least had the decency of asking him about it in a séance session or two?"

Narcissa nodded to Severus, obviously trying to contain her anger.

She scowled and regarded Draco with narrowed eyes, seemingly about to let some magic lose. His mother did not need any Protection Charm to scare people; she herself did that quite efficiently.

Draco decided to take the Slytherin approach, and scoot out of there as fast as he could.

He announced briskly, "I'll be in Hogwarts, Mother, Sev'rus!"

He grabbed his wands and hurriedly Apparated away, as if the hounds of hell were following him.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Daphne was on her way to eat dinner in the Great Hall. She was considerably more relaxed after having received Draco's letter. She missed him, and hoped Potter hadn't hurt him too deeply.

She was right behind Goyle and Blaise when she felt an arm grab her waist. She cried, "Watch out!" And turned to deliver an ultimatum or a blow. She found herself face to face with Draco. He was looking nervously around, as if he expected someone to pursue him at any second. Knowing Draco, that could be all too true.

Draco said softly, "Hello Green Eyes." His face got near Daphne's and she felt her knees grow weak. Eventually Draco's soft lips gently touched hers, his tongue asking for passage inside, and her lips conceding it.

It was heaven on Earth for both of them, a welcoming sojourn in the land of promises fulfilled, perhaps a harbinger of things to come.

It was rudely interrupted when someone yanked away Draco's shoulder. The blond turned to snarl at the inconsiderate passer-by, and recognized Potter.

Harry had been quietly on his way to the Great Hall when he noticed Daphne Greengrass, another insipid blonde. He was astonished when Draco appeared out of nowhere and suddenly kissed her. He felt roiling anger and consuming jealousy.

All this time, he'd kept a careful lid on his temper. It was increasingly easy to resist the siren call of his former anger, but today, seeing Draco kissing _her_, broke completely his restraint and he had to stop them.

Harry tried to distract Draco asking for his wand back.

Draco replied haughtily, "Which of the three wands do you mean, Potter? The Elder wand, the hawthorn wand or your old one? One would think that with so many wands, you would deem it fit to give me back my wand! But you didn't, you kept your wands."

"I have a proposition for you. According to your learned wandlore, you are the Master of the Elder wand. Consequently, it cannot cast a spell against you. I say that you suck at such wandlore mastery as you suck at everything else, like Quidditch, and this won't happen. I will give you your old wand and we will Duel."

Draco cast a spell clearing a circle and protecting the onlookers. He threw Harry's old wand to him. They started the duel.

Draco cast _Tarantallegra_ on Harry. The Elder wand was no longer constrained by any Protection Charm into obeying a specific person as master, therefore it could attack Harry. Harry tried to cast many spells at Draco, but the blond was more agile, he could move out of their paths. When he couldn't, he cast protection shields, and this time, they held true and stopped the incoming curses. Draco also cast _Rictumsempra_ and other humiliating spells, taunting him as the failed master of the Elder wand. At the end, Draco removed all the spells and left Harry alone in the center of the circle. Harry was near crying.

Through his blurred vision, he could see Draco walking away from him and it pained him, he devoutly wished that wasn't the path of the future, and he could still change the outcome.

tbc


	14. Inflexion point

The next day, Draco went to his Aunt's and accompanied her and Antares to their new home, the Manor. He was hoping, among other things, to blunt his mother's anger by appearing with her sister and her new son.

Andromeda Tonks had been relieved to realize she would not have to shoulder all the burden of educating Teddy on her own. After suffering the grievous loss of her husband, Nymphadora and Remus, to know she was physically responsible for the well-being of little Teddy was exhausting and daunting.

After Draco approached her with this proposal, and she met Narcissa and Lucius, Andromeda warmed up to the idea. She'd still been reluctant to trust a former Death Eater, until Draco told her that Lucius was under an Obedience Vow, and was thus unable to hurt a Malfoy or go against his wishes.

In the end, she wanted the future of Teddy assured, if something should happen to her. The position of the Malfoys seemed unassailable for now, and they would take care of Teddy, so she accepted.

When Draco Apparated to the Manor with Andromeda and Antares, after writing for his aunt the address in a piece of paper, he took the endless bag from around his shoulders and gave it to Finky, telling him to deliver the items stored within to Andromeda's and Antares's bedrooms.

They made their leisure way to the drawing room, where Draco said, smirking, "I think you know everybody, Aunt Andromeda: Mother, Father, and of course Professor Snape."

To forestall her questions and to pave the road for Severus's reintegration to the Wizarding World, Draco said, "Professor Snape did not die. It was a Death Eater who was on Polyjuice. It was another scheme of Voldemort's. Severus was able to recently escape them and is now with us."

Andromeda looked flabbergasted at meeting the former (and previously dead) Potions Master. Remembering her Black upbringing, she calmed herself and said: "Narcissa, Lucius, glad to see you. It's quite a surprise to see you looking so well, Severus!"

Severus nodded and then glared at her, when it appeared insufficient to make her explode, he transferred his glares to Draco.

The Slytherin Junior, to get back at the Potions Master, said maliciously, "Aunt Andromeda, I don't really like Slughorn. He didn't invite me to that crazy club of his in Sixth Year, why don't we have Severus as the godfather for Antares?"

Severus chocked on his tea and only Narcissa's swift intervention helped him. Andromeda, watching his reaction and sharing a little of the Black penchant for pranks, had to willingly concur. "Yes, it's a capital idea, Draco! Congratulations, Severus!"

Severus could be heard muttering under his breath, "More brats to take care of! It will never end!"

Next Draco _accio'd_ what he'd bought in the Quidditch store. A top-of-the-line training broom for young children appeared. It would insure that Antares would become a Quidditch enthusiast, as was Draco's avowed intention. Its green and silver colors could be read by injudicious souls as a blatant inducement to go to Slytherin, and this Draco would vehemently deny.

Narcissa and Andromeda groaned loudly. They could well picture how difficult it would be to separate the child from the broom. They felt their task was made harder by the interfering, Quidditch-obsessed brother.

Looking at Antares's placid face, and green-colored hair, Draco was pleased to note that he was a budding Metamorphmagus, a great addition to the house of Black and Malfoy! He remembered the time when he'd been lured to the mirror of Erised, he'd seen his parents with two children, and one of them had green hair.

Could it be that the mirror of Erised predicted the future? He was almost sorry to have destroyed it.  
And if Antares should prove to have the werewolf condition, then he'd have to care for him, eventually assume his Animagus form, and do all he could so Antares would live a happy life.

He had a fleeting thought that all the components to the puzzle of his life were on hand, he only had to have the thread that joined them and pointed unerringly to the future.

They all saw Draco's satisfied smirk, but only Narcissa and Snape could glean a deeper sadness in him.

Draco was remembering another time, when he had been very pleased to present a child under his care with a broom. That moment when he'd given the broom to Scorpius and he'd laughed, and Daphne proudly looked on, that moment would live with him forever. Draco saved money for a long time to get the broom, but it was all worth it, because Scorpius loved it.

Even if the future escaped from his grasp, if he could never hold it and convert it to reality, that image, that memory, would sustain him forever.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

In Hogwarts, the Gryffindors had seen Harry's fight with Draco and subsequent loss. They were enraged: with Draco, with Harry, with anyone.

They were no longer under the Charm, they were now subject to teachers' pressures and taunts from the other houses, when they were used to reign undisputed. They felt this was Harry's fault somehow, in the same short-sighted manner that they had forsaken Harry when he turned out to be a Parselmouth, when they thought he was the Heir of Slytherin, when the _Prophet_ printed nasty articles about him.

It had become rote for them to blame Harry for everything, instead of looking for the real reasons themselves.

Therefore, in the afternoon, after the lessons for the day had ended, some Gryffindors and Ravenclaws decided to teach Harry a lesson.

They ambushed him just outside the Great Hall, they cast an Imperturbable Charm. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas approached Harry and sucker-punched him, they took his wand away from him and taunted him.

Draco would never know later why he decided to return suddenly to Hogwarts. He just felt he needed to get there. He Apparated just outside the Great Hall. Everything seemed OK, but Draco's well-honed instinct for noticing things that wanted to remain hidden alerted him to the disturbance at the left.

He gathered that it was an Invisibility or Imperturbable Charm. He took out the Elder wand, flicked it a few times and muttered the counter-spell. Their charm had been craftily applied, but the magic of the Elder wand was greater and was able to disarm it.

Draco could now see what they were doing, and what he saw made him see red. They were beating and hexing Potter!

The gall of the fucking gits! Only he could hurt Potter! Potter was not for them to lay their grubby paws on!  
He cast _Crucio_ to three of the aggressors and they fell down, screaming. The others wanted to escape but he had surreptitiously cast a sticking hex on them. They were duly _crucio'd._

Draco could feel the magic of the Revenge Oath churning in him, trying to coax him into following the revenge, but Draco's determination and Will was enough to override it.

He also observed the placement of certain portraits and chairs, and made the necessary assumptions.

Malfoy Manor had been sacked uncounted times during its history. Its inhabitants developed a secret language, a means to ensure that adequate warnings were given out, so the Malfoy line could continue to survive. In that language, Draco could read, "Servants treacherous." The signs also pointed to a specific location.

Draco found Daphne and Neville. He spoke with Neville, " Nev, I want you to go to that staircase, on the third rung you will find a bag with healing potions and salves. You go with Daphne and take Potter to Slytherin. I think his position in Gryffindor is only hastening his demise."

Neville replied, "Why not take him to the Infirmary?"

Draco replied, "I don't trust them! There's something wrong in all of this, something I can't point my fingers to. Anyway, between you two, Potter should be OK."

After they had put the unconscious Potter under _Immobulus_ and were taking him to Slytherin, Draco hurried to his room, where he took out the time-turner. He took his endless bag and put many healing potions and salves, including the Blood-replenishing potion.

On his way back to the Great Hall, he caught the Matron, deeply gesturing to an unsavory individual Draco readily identified as a former Death Eater.

Draco walked to just outside the Great Hall and used the time-turner to go back 60 minutes.

After he'd put the bag in the staircase's third rung, he moved the portraits and chairs to form the message he'd read earlier. He then used the time-turner to return to the original time.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry thought he could hear, in the midst of the insistent buzzing in his ears, Malfoy's voice. He seemed concerned about something, and was seemingly talking to Neville. He could almost picture him, his soft blond hair as he turned to look at him.

But Malfoy would never be concerned about him. No one would! They were right when they said he was an attention-loving freak, who only got everyone in trouble. Never mind the fact that he had managed to finally get rid of Voldemort and his Horcruxes. People didn't seem to appreciate that.

It was enormously tiring, trying to function in that hypocritical society. They still didn't accept him completely, even after all he had done in the War. Harry futilely tried to shy away from thoughts of the carnage of the War, but he couldn't escape them. He kept imagining Remus's and Tonks's deaths and how utterly _pointless_ they were. He had to agree with Malfoy in this.

Harry sighed, and felt a cool cloth on his brow. He opened his eyes and saw the sconces illuminating brightly a room. He realized that he was in the dungeons. A hand pressed his glasses to him. He put them on, and Harry's green eyes stared into Daphne's equally green eyes.

Daphne asked drily, "How do you feel, Potter?"

Harry replied nervously, "Fine. What am I doing here and why am I not in the Infirmary?"

She answered, "You were attacked by the rowdy bunch, who were soundly trounced by Draco. He asked Neville and me to care for you and take you to the dungeons, seeing as how the Gryffindor lions seem to be after your hide now. He didn't want to give you to the tender care of the Matron. I think he distrusts her somehow."

"And why did you accept to care for me?"

"Because Draco wanted me to, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for him. Furthermore, I've known since practically forever that you came with Draco, in the package so to speak."

Harry blushed.

Daphne continued unabashedly, "I mean that your relationship with him, or whatever you want to call it, will likely always exist. I don't know, it has seemed at times predetermined."

Harry nodded and added dejectedly, "But you two seem to have hit it off well. It's obvious to see there are deep feelings between you."

Daphne added dreamily, "I think Draco's love shares some of the qualities of a butterfly."

"It is very beautiful and fragile. You might fear that it would die someday. You might want to keep alive the love by pinning the butterfly in your collection. It would seem just as beautiful as always, it would be protected, but inside you will know that it no longer moves or reacts to your touch."

"I want his love to be as free as he is. I will not coerce him."

HRHRHRHHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco, doing some surveillance work, approached the Infirmary. When the Matron opened the door, he feigned stomachache to get her to give him a potion. When he was about to take it he looked at her, murmured _Legilimens_ and tried to read her thoughts.

What he discovered was indeed upsetting. It appeared that the Matron was not herself, as it were, but a Polyjuiced individual. A cabal of disgruntled former Death Eaters had concocted a plot to hurt Potter and bring him to the Infirmary, where he would be bound and taken to parts unknown. It seemed that someone had cottoned to the fact that the Protection Charm had existed and was no longer active.

More disturbing, there appeared to be a leader of this cabal in Hogwarts. Arguably they were currently conspiring to vanquish Potter, or him.

tbc


	15. McGonagall

Draco had learned disquieting news from the person Polyjuicing as the Matron. It seems the lower echelons of Death Eaters were disheartened at first by Voldemort's demise, but had since recovered their pluck. Apparently they were aided in this venture by a powerful new ally who knew intricately the power of magic. This partner was currently in Hogwarts.

They had made plans to lure Potter to the Infirmary and portkey him to a special place. They were also dead set on eliminating Draco, by Dementor's Kiss or killing him.

There was a part of the Death Eaters that looked with contempt on Draco, they were envious of his successes with the Wizengamot, his leading role in Hogwarts. They wanted him to firmly declare for the Dark or be denounced as a traitor and executed.

After casting _Immobulus_, Draco guided the body to McGonagall's office. He just growled at the gargoyle and it hurriedly leaped aside, allowing him entry.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry and Daphne were trading Quidditch stories, when the door opened suddenly with a strong noise. Draco stomped in, barely holding himself in check.

Daphne asked, "What's come up, Draco?"

He answered, "That godammned bitch! I swear someday she will push me too far, and they won't know what'll hit McGonagall! I went to the Infirmary, and using a pretext, I was able to employ_ Legilimency _and saw the mind of the woman. It turns out she's not the real Matron, but a Death Eater masquerading as one. Their plan was to guide you, Harry, to the Infirmary and abduct you."

"That is not all. I could discern that there are some Death Eater recruits among the students. I sensed there are three Gryffindors. Also the Death Eaters were relatively calm until a month ago, when it seems they gained a new ally, who currently resides in Hogwarts."

Daphne asked, "But why are you so mad? I'd think you'd be planning some countermove by now."

Draco replied, "Armed with the evidence of the fake Matron and Harry being hurt, I asked the Headmistress to investigate the participants of the ambush with _Veritaserum._ Then we'd know for sure which are wanna-be Death Eaters."

"Instead of complying, I was lectured on proper deportment concerning friendly houses in Hogwarts. Apparently I was the one completely in the wrong and I should have done nothing! Nothing, that is, apart from fainting and calling on a competent teacher – as if I could find any in this sodding excuse for a school!"

"McBitch intimated that they would take me to Azkaban for casting Unforgivables, until I shut her big flapping mouth by handing her the Elder wand and asking her to cast _Priori Incantatem_. It showed a Dark spell, quite similar to _Crucio_, used to cause pain. However, there is no law against using it. She could do nothing against me."

"Thereupon I upbraided her teaching skills, her heredity and Animagus form. I also got her to agree to you staying with us, Harry."

"I don't care about the Gryffindors. They turned against you, and I have my suspicions some of them serve the renegades. I don't trust the other houses. Slytherin I control, so I can rely on them a little more."

"Still I think there is more than meets the eye. I have the creepy suspicion that McGonagall knows something, that she simply chooses not to interfere to further some scheme of hers. She definitely could restore order if she wanted, protect you like she's always done, but she won't this time."

"To summarize, her behavior is extremely like that of Dumbledore during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. I don't like it at all."

Afterwards the conversation was a little stilted. Daphne, recognizing there were things that needed to be said, left to the girls' rooms.

Harry started, "I'm sorry."

Draco asked, "For what?"

Harry replied, "For all the mean things I've said to you and done to you. When we fought, people believed you were always the aggressor, but we know that more than half our fights were begun by me. For the longest time I wanted to be the paragon of the Light, the perfect Boy Who Lived. I jumped at the chance to put you down, to make you suffer in the holy name of the Light. You thought I was eagerly hoping for renown and acknowledgement, I wasn't, at least not in the sense of wanting to be the world's poster model; but I wanted recognition from my friends, and to get it I swallowed their prejudices, never realizing that when I called you conceited and high-handed, I was also describing myself."

"You were the only one who ever saw me for myself, not the Boy Who Lived, but Pothead. Not even Ron and Hermione could do that."

Draco said, "That's OK. I can't forgive you, not yet. Still I'm hoping for a new beginning. You need to think like a Slytherin if you'll stay with us. Let's go to the Common Room."

Harry and Draco made their way to the room. The Slytherins present were flabbergasted and didn't know what to do. They were quiet, taking into account Draco's glares promising swift retribution to those that defied his authority.

Blaise came over, and taking a seat next to a surprised Harry, said, "Well, Har-Potter, since you are going to be with us, you need to learn the rules: Rule number one: What happens in the Dungeons stays in the Dungeons, so no telling tales to the other houses."

"You also need to know not to take away Goyle's silver dragon."

Harry goggled at hearing this.

Blaise huffed and continued, "I don't mean the big dragon, I mean Goyle's stuffed baby dragon. He can be quite grumpy when he doesn't find it."

Sitting near a corner, and observing the bantering, Draco said to Daphne, "Could you look after Harry? I have a very bad headache. I think I'll take a potion and will lay down for a while."

Draco went to his room. Before he took the potion he finished his correspondence for the day. He was using the political leverage from Lucius and the Malfoy fortune to effect simple changes, like the discontinuation and abandonment of the Dark Magic detecting device.

Dark magic would still bear careful watching, but no longer would defenseless children be threatened with Azkaban for using accidental magic.

He was also keen on prioritizing the establishment of wards and concealing wards for the main Wizarding quarters.

Draco was also pushing the Ministry for more stringent laws concerning the secrecy of the Wizarding World. Far too many muggleborns prattled on about the secrets they learned while in the Ministry. Thus they threatened the security of the Wizarding World constantly.

However, the most important thing he was working on was a liaison with the Muggle fringe group that would later try to nuke the Wizarding World. He wanted them to work with him. He wanted to help them save the world as much as they could. He wanted to harness their passion and energy and use them to power a more constructive approach than simply throw deadly weapons around. In an important sense, he felt that if he could redeem them, years hence, then he would be redeeming himself.

Draco being Slytherin, he also began working on a back-up plan.

HRHRHRHRHRHRH

The days passed. What was at first brittle and very fragile eventually grew more sturdy and strong. Draco and Harry would speak of many things now. Draco found Harry's precious illusions obnoxious and tried to gently coax him away from them, but Harry was stubborn.

Harry was surprised that Malfoy had such deep passions, so very well camouflaged. His eyes gleaming mercilessly were no longer a source of worry or anger, instead they were a beacon, promising sometimes to arrive at a more plentiful and friendly land.

Draco noted that he had a strong headache every time after he'd spoken with Harry. He spent three days away from Potter and the aches disappeared. That cinched the answer for him.

Draco had taken to Apparating to Malfoy Manor, to Severus's lab, and wheedle him for many Anti-headache potions. Severus was eager to help and he didn't pose awkward questions.

Draco could Apparate directly from Hogwarts thanks to his position as its owner (or former owner). To avoid the effects of the _Fidelius_, but still be able to activate it rapidly if it should become necessary, he had sold Hogwarts to Narcissa for one Galleon.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Coming up from Potions, a first-year approached Neville warily. She had a note from McGonagall. She wanted to see him right away.

As Neville made her way to her office, he wondered why she wanted to speak with him. It wasn't like he had been so important to her. She'd been mostly concerned about the Golden Trio, during the first six years.

McGonagall made small talk and offered him tea. Neville inwardly thanked the gods for his Herbology knowledge. He could smell a plant that was used in the preparation of _Veritaserum_. This plant induced a state of passivity, facilitating the implantation of ideas or words. Neville surreptitiously used _Evanesco_ to get rid of some tea.

Neville was incensed. The woman who had been his head of house, who he'd looked up to for so many years, had descended to this. He heard, "Of course you will have noted Gryffindor's lack of success recently. I am sorry to say that is because of Harry Potter. He behaved cowardly and thus lost our age-old protection. It is of the utmost importance that Gryffindor's Protection Charm be reinstated as soon as possible."

"Mr. Longbottom, you are an heir of Gryffindor, too. With the Charm attached, you will be invulnerable; furthermore, our house will be untouchable again!"

Neville seethed, that McGonagall would place the onus of the failure of a whole house on a single individual was unthinkable, that she proposed to launch this supposedly vaunted Charm using him as test subject was uncanny, that she was reciting this like an obsessed love-sick fool after supposedly giving him drugs to modify his mind defied expectations.

But Neville was one of the Children of Prophecy, his life did not take the easy path. He had also spent quite some time with the Slytherins and Draco Malfoy. He knew he had to act the Slytherin way, or McGonagall probably would not hesitate to _Obliviate_ him.

So he played with her ideas of him as a bumbling fool, staying in the shadows, and shyly said, "I'll be glad to do so, Headmistress. When should I be ready?"

McGonagall replied briskly, "During the Winter Solstice, Mr. Longbottom. Of course you won't tell anyone about this. You can go."

Neville said good-bye and left. After making sure that he wasn't being followed, he went to Draco's rooms and told Draco, Daphne and Harry about this remarkable conversation.

Draco started pacing and swearing, he was trying to contain himself.

Daphne commented, "We still have some time, but we have to think about a strategy. Why did she have to come up with this? Is there something in the water causing the head Gryffindors to be so inane and power-hungry?"  
Draco finally said, "Obviously Dumbledore, either in flesh and bone or in the portrait, told her about the Charm and how to cast it."  
Daphne continued, "And if she doesn't have an heir of Gryffindor handy? Sorry, Neville, you might have to take a vacation."

Draco replied, "Knowing McBitch, she probably would find another heir somewhere."  
Harry simply asked, "How can she be stopped from casting that Charm? I feel that if we do not erase that information, she will simply try again next month, or next year."

Neville was impressed with how smoothly the trio seemed to integrate their diverse personalities. They allowed Draco his temper, providing him with focus and intelligence. Daphne was free to soar and take the no-nonsense approach that suited her so fine. Harry could use his unique gifts of perception and empathy and he would not be chastised for this.

Harry asked intrigued, "What is this Charm?"

Draco answered, "The Founders were sweet-talked by Gryffindor to cast a Protection Charm on his heir, supposedly to protect Hogwarts. It makes the person invulnerable to many things. Hogwarts was never conquered, and the Gryffindors prospered. They took to reapplying the Charm every 200 years or so. It grew so powerful that it could sway groups of people, magical and Muggles, without ever being in direct contact with them. It also seems to have developed a mind of its own. It sought to enforce Gryffindor's ideals of how the leaders should behave."

"The Charm was cast on you by Dumbledore, before your first confrontation with Voldemort. Of course, because you were the heir of Gryffindor, the Charm was already embedded in your magic."

Harry wanted to ask more questions but Draco hurriedly made his way to the bathroom.

Daphne was deeply worried about Draco's frequent headaches. She followed some minutes later. As she entered, she heard retching and saw Draco throwing up what he had eaten earlier.

After Draco composed himself, he had a coughing fit, when he moved the hand that had been on his mouth, it showed bright red splotches.

Daphne asked concernedly, "What's the matter, Draco? Your constant headaches, and now this, what is happening to you?"

Draco replied somberly, "It's the Revenge Oath, Daphne. It tries to force me to fulfill it, it calls on me to hurt Harry as much as he hurt me. I can assert my will, but the magic is just left there, churning, and it decides to play havoc with my body."

Daphne commented, "Why have you not told Harry this?"

Draco replied, "I don't want him to be unduly stressed. I can see signs that behind his calm façade he is in turmoil because of what has happened. I won't have him breaking because of this."

"Also we have been getting along, it's been peaceful and quiet, an eddy in the eye of the storm, something that we never had during 26 years. I wanted to keep this going for as long as I could."

tbc


	16. Ritual

Daphne watched in despair for three days as Draco got worse. He would speak animatedly with her and Harry for awhile, and then he'd make a hasty retreat. Knowing Draco, he'd take a detour to the less used bathrooms to be sick in.

Daphne researched pureblood rituals, even in the Restricted Section. She saw Granger studying intently some ancient manuscript, and her wand hand itched to curse her good, but she refrained.

Granger seemed to be acknowledged as the unofficial leader of Gryffindor. Many lions followed her, except a small group around Neville Longbottom, which included Ginny Weasley and surprisingly Lavender Brown.

There were some scuffles where the Gryffindors had been the ones to provoke their enemies. Inevitably the teachers would dock points from Gryffindor and assign detentions, but the students would get Granger to advocate for them to McGonagall and the points were never deducted or the detentions imposed. Discipline was rapidly breaking.

The Matron's job was vacant still. People thought it was irresponsible to leave it like that, and at the same time they were afraid that the person they would hire would betray them.

The next day after dinner, she made sure to get some time alone with Harry, persuading Blaise to drag Draco to the Quidditch pitch. Draco was so stubborn, she swore she sometimes wanted to just thwack him! Of course Harry was equally stubborn and obtuse, so she was not surprised by their history.

When they made it to Harry's room, Daphne sat down on the bed and said, "I have bad news, Harry."

"Yes?"  
"Draco is dying."  
"What! You're kidding, right?"  
"I'm afraid it's for real, Harry. If Draco continues the way he is now, he won't live another month."

"What does he have?"

"He is suffering the constraints of a Revenge Oath. When someone does something awful to you, you can swear a Revenge Oath and be assured of the will and magic to pursue the goal of revenge. The magic judges if the deed is heinous enough and true, and grants the request for the Oath."

"Draco swore a Revenge Oath against the persons who killed our son Scorpius Malfoy: you, Granger and Weasley."

Harry interjected, "Draco had a son. My God, I didn't know! I swear I didn't do anything to him, I swear…!"

Daphne continued unperturbed, "He _will_ have a son. You, like all of us, live in the eternal Now, but I invite you to consider farther reaches. Think of a future time when your viewpoint reigned supreme in the Wizarding World, how you ensnared Draco in your web and used him most cruelly. Draco managed to break free for some years. We found each other, loved and had a son, Scorpius, he looked just like his father."

"However you soon came back into the scene. You saw my son and wanted to corrupt him, to use him. You invented charges against Draco and got him sent to Azkaban. You had Weasley adopt my son and change his name. You abused my son and drove him to a desperate flight, where he fell off a ravine and died."

Daphne went on, "Later on, Draco saw the chance to come to the past and change it, effectively altering it. However, he also knew how cunning the Golden Trio was, so he decided to swear the Oath."

"I can honestly say he has forgiven you. It's easy to gather from the way he looks at you, with the strange protective streak he has towards you. He is weary and cautious regarding you because you already broke his heart once."

"He doesn't want to trouble you as his headaches get worse, as the constant stomach aches increase, as he coughs more blood every day. The Oath compels him to hurt you, torture you as much as you hurt him. He won't do it. His will is greater than the Oath, but the magic is left on his body and wreaks havoc."

"Still, the Revenge Oath was essential in the fight against the muggleborn. Your vaunted Hermione Granger tried to take over Draco's thinking, using a spell that allowed her access to his innermost thoughts and remembrances, she could pose as one of his inner voices and he wouldn't know it. She had almost convinced him to let sleeping dogs lie when the Oath intervened and lent Draco the means to throw off her yoke."

Harry asked tremulously, "Can Hermione control my thoughts?"

Daphne mentally slapped Draco for not telling Harry about this as she answered as nonchalantly as she could, "Yes, she is a most accomplished witch. She almost got Draco under her thumb. It wouldn't surprise me at all if she had put her paws on you as well. I know she tried to control Neville. His ring and yours deflect any mind-spells from the studious Chipmunk."

Harry asked, "What can I do about Draco?"

Daphne replied, "One thing that would help would be if you didn't see him at all. If you both stopped speaking to each other and didn't even look at each other, the Oath would not be so activated."

Harry gulped, imagining never again talking to the blond. Never to listen to the icy, drawling and sarcastic voice, never to duck to avoid a thwack upside the head. Never to see those ice grey eyes. After what they had gone through to arrive here, this looked so anticlimactic.

But he knew that if he persisted and continued being friends with Draco, he would die. He'd rather have Draco live and be free, even if he was far from Harry. He understood then Daphne's analogy of love as similar to a butterfly.

Harry replied resolutely, "Then I will stay away from him. Thank you for telling me, Daphne."

Daphne snorted, thinking what an obtuse pair of boys she had to end up with! They were both very powerful, but also very stubborn. They would dance around the subject, never getting to the action, if it wasn't for her.

She softly said, "There might be another way, Harry. Draco does not know about this, I think." Inwardly she chortled, thinking she had a lot of material for taunting.

"Draco says that for every great piece of magic, there is always an escape clause that can be activated to be set free from the magic. This was proved true for the Protection Charm, where the escape clause was that Gryffindor could not consider any person that reacted like you did as a true heir and the Charm was deactivated."

"The Malfoys are intimately cognizant of revenge, its volcanic, red and churning feel as it scours the land, destroying everything before it. Truly it is a force of nature, so relentless and inexorable in its coming that there's little or no hope of anything left behind."

"However there might be something greater than revenge, that flows over the landscape with soothing effects like pure water, something that refreshes and takes away the pain, the scars and the flames. The volcanic fire is intense, deadly and potent, but it lasts only for a little while; the ocean lasts forever. What can be greater than revenge is redemption. That is the escape clause than can negate the Revenge Oath as it relates to you."

"I won't lie to you, Harry. It will be dangerous. You will have to accept what you've done and be willing to take responsibility for it. You must grasp the scope of the bad deeds, above all, you'll have to show the magic that you want to be forgiven."

"The magic will judge you, and if it finds your reasons are true, it will proceed to undo the Oath as it relates to you. However, if your thoughts are not conducive to redemption, the magic will hurt you."

"So think about it and let me know tomorrow."

At that moment Draco walked in, after dropping Blaise unceremoniously in the Common Room. He could sense both of the green-eyed students tense up. He could well imagine what they were discussing, he drawled icily, "Well, Daphne?"

Harry thought they needed time alone, so he left to talk with Blaise in the Common room.

Daphne owned up to telling Harry about the Revenge Oath. When Draco threatened to blow over, Daphne carefully let slip the information about how to circumvent the Oath. As always when the subject matter was magic, Draco was mesmerized by it, the possibilities and dangers.

He was worried about Harry's well-being, and not only physical. In order for this ritual to work, Harry needed to fully grasp his actions. Draco would be using the Pensieve and supplying key memories so Harry would understand better. Frankly, Draco despaired of Harry seeing future-Harry and his antics as he hurt Draco. Once he would've been pleased to cause discomfort to the Gryffindor, but as he slowly got to know him better, he found that he did not want to hurt him anymore.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The next day Draco began putting memories in the Pensieve. He'd leave Harry alone with them and when he'd finished, he'd come back into the room and collect the Pensieve. Many times Harry had been crying, and Draco hugged him gingerly as if to lend him strength. Their time together had to be carefully controlled, or Draco would start coughing blood.

So they arrived to the last memory. Harry could see how Draco was sent a Pensieve to his cell in Azkaban, he could see the rape of Scorpius taking place there. He saw the demonic laughing faces of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and he thoroughly hated them, their prejudiced view of the world, confident that they had all the answers. They never saw how they were so much worse than the Slytherins they professed to hate.

But Harry realized that he was equally guilty. In that future, he had used the political clout he had to get what he wanted, even if it was the condemnation of an innocent man. He sometimes wished wanly for an _obliviate _hex that could make him forget all the deeds he'd done, all the mistakes he'd made.

Both Draco and Daphne were sure that many actions of his could be easily explained if Hermione controlled his thoughts to a certain degree. There had been strange cycles in his behavior, jumping from the confident Harry of school to the timid Harry of Privet Drive, granted that his relatives treated him awful, there was still something strange there. At any rate, the onus of the dastardly behavior was on him.

He could almost feel the crack fissures in his soul come to the fore, but first he had to take care of Draco.

Daphne insisted that they go to Draco's room for the ritual. Once there, with Draco in the bed and Harry sitting on a nearby chair, Daphne took charge.

She said, "OK Draco, what is needed from you is your forgiveness. Once you do that, it'll be up to Harry. Harry, you need to convince the magic that you want redemption. You have now seen what you did; you know why Atonement is needed." Daphne brandished her wand, swished it and intoned, "_Exculpa mea!"_

Draco concentrated on forgiving Harry. In his mind, he pictured the brave Gryffindor as he cried after viewing the memories. He knew he would never hate Harry again, and in his innermost heart he did that most un-Malfoy thing of all: he forgave him.

Harry felt hollow. An important part of him yearned for redemption. He had always thought he was operating for the good of the Light. However he could see that he was not by any means a completely pure man. He had erred, he'd known greed and vainglory and pride, and fallen victim to them. If other forces had shaped his convictions, the deeds were still his to claim, his to lament.

The magic surrounded the two boys, after a perfunctory evaluation of Draco, it concentrated on Harry, especially on his head and heart. Daphne and Draco waited with bated breath, as finally the last spark of light left his body and disappeared.

Daphne took his pulse, used _Immobulus_ and put Harry in the bed, saying "He's sleeping."

Draco was too tired to argue, in fact, he fell asleep right next to Harry. Daphne transfigured the chair into a queen-sized bed, and promptly fell asleep too.

The next morning, Daphne woke up first. He saw Harry and Draco, a study in opposites, each one was breathtaking, and together they were magnificent, surely a sight to stun any one. Harry was draped around Draco, their legs were entwined and their hair mixed so riotously, blondest blond with ebony. Daphne muttered softly "_Accio camera_!" and Draco's camera came to her hand. After snapping a dozen photos which would comprise the beginning of her blackmail material, she carefully hid the camera, and proceeded to wake up the boys.

Grey eyes opened up and took the world placidly. Draco realized that he had Harry wrapped all over him and reacted nonchalantly. Harry, contrariwise, on realizing his position and Draco's, shrank back from contact.

Daphne rolled her eyes and urged them to hurry up or they would miss breakfast. Harry turned and asked her, "I want to know why I'm being held liable for the actions of my future self."

She replied, "I guess that is a question for philosophers or Arithmancers. Magic obviously considered you as identical with your future self when it first accepted the Oath. I have no way of knowing the correct answer, but I do know that your courageous acceptance of these acts allowed the magic to see beyond, hopefully you will follow this sign and prepare for the future, meditating on the past only when it is necessary."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

Harry tried to be on time for his session with counselor Rhodes. Sometimes he felt advancement in expressing his feelings and finding a middle ground, but sometimes he despaired. Rhodes appeared too keen to learn some things; it was uncanny how he had zeroed in Harry's constant rubbing of his ring. He asked since when did Harry have it, who gave it to him. This made Harry leery of volunteering too much information, especially knowing he had a host of secrets not his own.

He finally insisted on Draco teaching him _Occlumency_. The lessons were proceeding smoothly, and Harry had to say that Draco was a much more agreeable and efficient teacher than Snape. They had to enter each other's minds for the lessons to work. Each one knew more or less what the other's humiliating experiences were, and what would have been painful for another pair of persons, became a means to better understand the other.

In time, this cemented their friendship and made Harry a competent_ Occlumens_. Draco wanted Harry to continue to _Legilimens _level, but Harry was weary to do it.

tbc


	17. Between a Kiss and a Kiss

During the winter months, Harry grew to cordially hate his sessions with counselor Rhodes. At first he thought the man was sympathetic, but his words troubled him greatly after the sessions.

He would say completely innocuous things on the surface, that often turned to have a malign, acid core, like, "I am sure Draco sees you as a great friend. It's not every day he gets to teach a magically disadvantaged person about our world. Coming from the environment you did, you have performed very well indeed, as well as we expected. Though perhaps Draco does not see you as the rest of us do, and that could turn out to be dangerous for you and our world."

The man looked altogether too peaceful for Harry's peace of mind. He always used his occlumency shields during the sessions, and thanked Merlin Draco had taught him how to use them.

Draco and Harry continued to build their friendship. Harry was interested to note, and he was sometimes pissed, that Draco treated him so gingerly, as if he would break down, although Harry would admit that many times he felt on the edge of an abyss, and the behavior of his classmates and counselor wasn't helping at all.

Neville and Ginny had managed to fracture the Gryffindors' bullheaded tendency to blame Harry for everything. Approximately half of them supported him now, and he was really thankful for that. He'd wanted to move back to the Tower but was sonorously trounced by Draco. Draco argued passionately that there were some Gryffindors who undoubtedly had turned traitors. He would not let Harry go to the den of the traitorous felines.

Still there were many students who would glare at Harry, even some of the foolhardy ones tried to curse him. When Harry or Draco hexed them back, this behavior was rapidly curbed. The Headmistress did nothing, ignoring the conditions approaching guerilla warfare on some corridors.

On December 6th, after study break from Potions, Draco dragged Harry to the Room of Requirement. Both were somber at first, recognizing the heavy history that laid between them. Draco had wished for a relaxed dinner, and that was what they were served.

The dishes were superb, and the glass of brandy at the end was invigorating.  
Harry asked Draco shyly, "Did I have children in the future?"  
Draco answered, "Yes, you did. Two boys and a girl."  
Harry asked, "Was I a good father?"

Draco replied somberly, "I can not tell you, I don't know. However I can tell you that the children appeared healthy and carefree when I saw them."

Draco saw Harry visibly trying to contain his sadness, and trying to distract him from the pain, he kissed him.

The contact of their lips was electrifying. Harry knew that he had arrived at a long denied oasis in the desert of his life, from which he never intended to leave.  
Draco was caught up in the overpowering feelings of the kiss. Kissing Harry, without him being an arrogant git who wanted to control every nuance of the kiss, was wonderful.  
Their bodies sought each other's warmth, their mouths sought to explore and know their partner.

Presently, Harry disentangled himself from Draco and said, "What about Daphne?"

Draco replied, "What about her? I want to be with her. I also want to be with you. You have lived your life under the influence of the Muggles. In the Wizarding World, many forms of love are accepted, even encouraged. I want to be with Daphne, eventually give her a son; I also want you to be with us, to grow strong with us. In our world, such constellations happen and are accepted. If there is someone who doesn't like it and raises a ruckus, then it'll be my pleasure to punish them!"

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The next day was December 7th, and Draco couldn't help but feel disquiet. It was the anniversary of the sneak attack on the American Fleet in Pearl Harbor. Perhaps someone would be tempted to emulate that.

At any rate, he made what preparations he could. He searched his endless bag for a one-Galleon coin, he wrote the letters, and he waited.

For lunch, Harry, Draco, Daphne and Neville approached the Great Hall.

When Neville was about to enter, wards instantly sprang into action, they kept him back. He could still see inside and watch his friends as they went into a nearly empty Great Hall, which had some Gryffindors and Ravenclaws in one corner. It looked like an ambush.

Neville yearned to help, but the wards wouldn't let him in! Then he heard a voice he'd associated with wisdom in the past say softly, "It's a pity that you can't help your friends, Mr. Longbottom. I'm afraid they face overwhelming odds. Surely your help would prove crucial. It would be ever so much better if you had the powerful effect of the Gryffindor Protection Charm! Then you would be truly invulnerable and it would be a simple matter to extricate your friends from their predicament. You would be the paragon of the Light! You would be respected and admired! What do you say, Mr. Longbottom?"

Neville had to admit that he was sorely tempted to listen to McGonagall's entreaties and accept the Protection Charm. Her cunning was ruthless, manipulating his nobler emotions to get him to agree. If he'd been a pure Gryffindor he would've followed the clarion call of duty and power and would have accepted with nary a thought. However, he had spent a lot of time with Slytherins.

It had been very hard to face the Snakes and their taunts. However, he soon came to realize that they often did things which had different meanings. During the long years, they provided warnings veiled as taunts, caveats which enabled him to survive Voldemort. He'd observed the Slytherin Prince in action and he asked himself what Draco would think.

To have that Charm, like Harry did. Harry was the only Gryffindor friend that he had, except for Ginny. He'd observed how Harry was slavishly followed, and treacherously condemned. Harry, who had been such a good friend some times, and turned out to be a bastard on other occasions. Neville had an inkling this was caused by the Charm and the actions of a certain bushy-haired witch. He also remembered Gran encouraging him to follow his instincts. He had a hunch his fate was with Harry and Draco. He made up his mind to reject McGonagall.

Neville put his hands in his pocket, a nervous habit he'd had since childhood. He found a round object, pulling it out he found it was his Remembrall. Weird! He didn't remember putting it there. Well, maybe that's why he needed a Remembrall.

McGonagall watched suspiciously as Neville took something out of his pocket. She sighed when she recognized the mnemonic device. To think that her House had to rely on such individuals!

She ordered Neville, "Come with me, Mr. Longbottom, and we will proceed."

Neville took out his wand, pointing it to McGonagall he said, "_Stupefy!"_

Just as Neville started walking to the doors, two Origami letters came out and reached him. He grabbed the first, which was seemingly wrapped around a Galleon. He read:

_I hereby declare I have sold Hogwarts to Draco Malfoy, for the sum of one Galleon._

_Narcissa Malfoy_

Then a flabbergasted Neville read the other note:

_Nev: If you're reading this then I fear the situation is indeed dire. I don't know who is behind this attack, but it appears to be someone powerful and hateful. We will need a way to surprise them, a _timely _way. You might have noticed your Remembrall in your pocket. Well, it isn't. It's a camouflaged time-turner I put there. I want you to use it to bring reinforcements. However, as I'm sure the Ministry cannot be relied upon, I fear the support should be more familiar. Along with the time-turner there is a portkey. It will take you to Malfoy Manor, I suggest you go back two hours and get everyone ready to move. Also it is important that my mother signs that note. When all of you are ready you can come here and kick ass! Don't be surprised by whom you meet!_

_DM_

_Malfoy Manor may be located twenty miles from Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, England ._

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

When the Silver trio entered the Great Hall, they immediately noticed the lack of students. They observed a gaggle of Gryffindors and allies in the corner. Draco tried to get them, or at least Daphne, out of there, but the wards wouldn't let them leave.

They took their wands and prepared to do pitch battle against 12 enemies. Thanks to McGonagall's _laissez-faire_ attitude, it was something they were used to doing.

But this time many of the spells were directed at Daphne. This worried Draco and Harry, although Daphne herself would have probably hit them in the head for their chauvinistic ideas.

There were five students who later joined the fray, entering through the main door. They were fighting now 17 to three.

Draco understood it was a question of time before they were vanquished. He cast a Protego shield and in the relative quiet took out two Origami letters and blew them, wishing they'd find Neville. Apparently the wards did not consider them dangerous, for they let them pass.

Harry was an outstanding warrior, and knew many Light and Dark spells. However, this time he wasn't operating under the Aegis of the Protection Charm and thus could fail. He lost his wand and someone partially froze him.

Draco was now fighting against 14 wizards. He knew he'd be finished in seconds. He espied the bushy figure of Granger and inwardly praying to Merlin Harry was right about his wandlore, he practically threw out the Elder wand towards her, shouting, "Catch it, Granger!"

Hermione Granger looked very satisfied as she grabbed the Elder wand. To have won the Elder wand! Such power was now hers to command!

She motioned with her hands and everyone stopped fighting. They knew disobeying her was painful. She said imperiously, "Malfoy, before anything else I will inform you that no Time-turner can currently work around Hogwarts. Of course I'm intimately acquainted with their use, and I sensed you have been playing with one. Rest assured that nothing you can do with one will work today."

"And Harry, I'm displeased with you. _Accio_ Harry Potter's ring! You thought you were free of me, but you will never be." "_Advenitas_!" Harry felt the mental onslaught as Hermione sought to destroy his defenses, it brought excruciating pain.

Hermione continued calmly enough, "I have always been in you, Harry. Since second year when Dumbledore drew me aside and made me realize you had to be instilled with the features of a leader. A leader uses his people well; he fights with his enemies and wins. He doesn't care about single lives, but about the whole of the pattern. The Protection Charm was a beginning, but Dumbledore wanted you to make full use of the leader's powers and range. That's why he kept you all these years with the Dursleys. They would teach you the hard fruits of self-reliance and inner strength. You would learn that you can depend on no one, that you yourself would be your only succor."

Harry teetered at the edge of the abyss. To be suddenly confronted with such heinous deeds, to suddenly reinterpret his story, amid the constant mental attack, it was too much.

Hermione turned and regarded Malfoy malevolently. She said, "You changed. Somehow you changed from how you were four months ago. I don't know how, but I will find out. You threw a wrench in my plans! But it was for the best. I decided that the Light was not enough for me. They never listened to me, to my pleas for the House Elves' freedom! Harry went out of my control. I decided to strike a bargain with the Dark."

"I'm pleased they are so amenable." Then Hermione turned to Seamus Finnigan and ordered, "Tell them to send the Death Eaters!"

Finnigan wrote something in a coin. Presently Death Eaters began Apparating into the Great Hall. Soon there would be many and the fate of the Silver Trio would be sealed.

However, after the sixth Death Eater had Apparated, they stopped coming. One figure looked particularly ominous, even if it lacked a hand. Fenrir Greyback was there. There were frantic whispers and one figure skulked near Hermione and told her something that seemingly put her in a rage.

Draco realized he needed to distract her, and he knew the perfect – if dangerous – way.

He said, "What's up Granger? Now that you're the Mistress of the Elder Wand, why don't you do something that you've always wanted to do?"

Hermione recovered her composure and smirked. "I will do so, Malfoy, and I'll be sure to thank you." She pointed the Elder wand towards Draco and shouted, "_Avada Kedavra_!"

Nothing happened. There was no green light, no death, nothing. Hermione was enraged and was about to break the Elder wand in two when Draco muttered: "_Accio_ my wand!"

And the Elder wand returned to its rightful master.

Harry trembled, and worked like crazy trying to set up Occlumency shields.

Suddenly Harry felt a crashing wave of despair, so strong it threatened to destroy him. He knew then that Hermione's other guest had arrived: a Dementor.  
Everyone was in thrall of the negative emotions called up by the Dementor. Harry could see Daphne quietly crying and Draco's stoic face.  
Hermione chortled and then directed the Dementor to go to Draco and Kiss him: "Finally we'll be rid of you Malfoy, and I will do with your body what you did with mine."

The Dementor started gliding toward Draco, who did not seem too fazed. It was only Harry, who knew him well, who saw the dark despair in the grey eyes.

Harry imagined life departing the grey eyes, the visage of his friend completely empty, all that made Draco such an infuriating, conceited, warm, entrancing person would be gone. Never would he see him again.  
The thought both sustained and poisoned him. He erected very strong _Occlumency _shields and was finally able to drive out Hermione's nagging voice.

Harry was no longer the heir of Gryffindor, he no longer enjoyed the Protection Charm. However, Harry would always be a hero. In his heart, he would behave like a hero with all the strengths of the position, no questions attached.

Harry was poised in the abyss, and he jumped right in.

He threw off the stupefying charm and stood up. He intercepted the Dementor. He noticed the spoiled meat smell, he saw the awful visage of the Dementor. He could barely stand because he was being bombarded with images of his parents dying in front of Voldemort. Still he wanted to save the one he loved.

He grabbed the Dementor and Kissed it.

And because the person initiated the Kiss, and the person's soul was in dire need of a Soul Healer, the escape clause for the curse of the Dementors was activated.

Harry's soul was healed, and he gained eidetic memory. The Dementor was consumed by a golden light. When the shine had abated enough for them to look, they beheld a majestically beautiful figure with wings as pure as snow, with blonde hair and willowy figure. The Healer flapped his wings and soon disapparated in a shower of golden sparks.

Hermione seethed, that her beautiful plans should be disrupted by such happenings! Fortunately the wards around Hogwarts and the Great Hall were such that they could only be lifted by the Headmistress herself, so there was no way they would get interrupted before she got rid of the two buffoons.

Draco said, "_Accio_ Harry Potter's wand!" When the wand appeared he threw it to an alert seeming Harry. They grabbed Daphne and stood back to back, ready to defend themselves to the death.

They were about to do battle with more than 20 able-bodied witches and wizards. It seemed a fruitless undertaking.

Hermione gloated as she said, "What will I do with you two? I know, let Fenrir bite you, so you can become cute werewolves. What do you think? Go on, Fenrir."

Just as Fenrir was approaching them, he was hit with _Sectumsempra._ Soon spells started coming from the entrance to the Great Hall, and Draco, Daphne and Harry could see Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa, Neville and Severus Snape. They fought quite effectively, especially Severus. His mere presence caused disquiet in the enemy and they lost precious seconds trying to understand.

Fenrir got very close to Severus during the fight. When he tried to bite him, however, he found he was unable to and instead bit himself.

Hermione whined, "The wards should have stopped them!"

Draco gloated, "The wards were set by the Headmistress of Hogwarts. Severus, however, by his very presence, reminded Hogwarts that he is still the rightful Headmaster, so he was able to lower or set wards."

Draco set to work, he intoned, "_Accio_ McGonagall!" When the former Headmistress appeared, Draco liberated her and muttered: "_Imperio."_

He just took care that Hermione was directly visible to McGonagall and erected a shield. When McGonagall intoned "_Legilimens maxima!"_ and directed the spell towards Hermione, no one could do anything.

After twenty minutes the spell ended. All of Hermione's memories had been destructively copied to McGonagall's mind; as a result, Hermione's mind was completely empty.

However, Draco knew there was still an overwhelming stumbling block: McGonagall would never stop trying to cast the Protection Charm. Even if she suffered from multiple personalities she would try to destroy them. If she was tried by the Wizengamot surely they would find her guilty only of misdemeanors and condemn her to very little time. She'd soon be free to plot again.

He needed to take personal action about this, or the world would be chained again, everything subject to one will.

Continuing with the _Imperio,_ McGonagall barked, "You will explain this to me, Mr. Malfoy! Come to my office!"

Once they were back in the office and McGonagall had ordered the portraits to leave, Draco took control. _Accio'ing_ McGonagall's wand, he pointed it towards her and without much ado, said, "_Avada Kedavra."_ This time the green light was intense as it arched towards her and engulfed her.

As Draco expected, there was one portrait that hadn't obeyed the order. He saw Dumbledore skulking around. He directed McGonagall's wand towards the former Headmaster and intoned again "_Avada Kedavra_!" Dumbledore in the portrait died.

tbc


	18. Weasley

Warning: Mature content, non-con

Harry stayed awake all night, he watched as Hermione's body deteriorated rapidly. She had been brought to the Infirmary and was under the care of Susan Abbott, because the Matron had not been replaced yet due to the Headmistress's obstinacy.

Harry was so interested in Hermione's fate that he did not notice when the Aurors began appearing, nor did he particularly mind the fact that Draco had to leave and collect them from somewhere.

At last, near 7 o'clock, Hermione died. Harry felt numbing pain, and wondered what he would've felt like if this had happened before his soul was healed.

Making his way to the Infirmary entrance, he found counselor Rhodes. They entered into a stilted conversation. Rhodes commented, "Harry, you must know that I'm a counselor for Azkaban convicts. I've been treating Ron Weasley. I must say I'm concerned for him. His health seems to be declining sharply and he has lost interest in living. However, there is one subject that still entrances him, and it is you. I think a visit from you would do wonders for him."

"Here, take this coin! It is a portkey that will take you to Azkaban, just outside the wards. It can carry you directly from here, and you can come back the same way."

Harry seized that conversation in order to stop the doubts that plagued his mind: Snape's sudden appearance, for example. Draco had made the point that the person who died wasn't Snape but a Death Eater masquerading as such. Yet Harry knew that it was Snape who died, because of the memories he later saw in the Pensieve. They could only have come from Severus Snape.

So Draco got Snape back from the dead, possibly through a Horcrux.

There were also the deaths of Hermione and McGonagall. It was explained that McGonagall and Hermione were in cahoots, and seeing herself defeated, McGonagall lost it all and turned on Hermione, destructively copying her memories. Afterwards, she destroyed Dumbledore's portrait and then killed herself.

Harry thought it was too convenient. Obviously Draco offed McGonagall, after having made her destroy Hermione.

Frankly, in light of these happenings, he could not but fear Draco. The Slytherin should have let the slow majesty of the law deal with Hermione and McGonagall. All his life Harry had tried to avoid the influence of Dark magic, and it seemed he was entangled now with a heavy Dark magic user. He yearned for the good days of yore when he and Hermione and Ron went searching for Horcruxes and battling evil.

Harry briefly considered telling Draco and Daphne where he was going, but he decided against it. He wanted to get away from them for a while, after all. So without leaving any information about his whereabouts, he grabbed the portkey and operated it.

Harry Apparated within the Wizarding prison, into a point well beyond the first guards. He saw the stone arches give way to an ornately carved mahogany door. He sensed that this was Ron's cell. He could feel the windy chill of the Dementors heavily penetrating the scant warmth of the day. However, now he had a deeper understanding of them and was able to withstand the pressure easily.

He opened the door and walked in. He noticed the cell was comfortably furnished for an Azkaban abode. There was a bed with clean bedding, two chairs, and a drawer. Reclining on the bed was Ron, and he looked better than he remembered. His hair was lustrous and long, his frame was filled out, his eyes sparkled. Harry began to gather that things were not what he had been told and that he had made a horrible error coming here.

Harry grabbed the portkey and tried to go back to Hogwarts. It didn't work. He tried to Apparate without the portkey but couldn't get a fix on Hogwarts.

Ron noticed Harry and he said brightly, "Harry! Thank Merlin you're here. Won't you sit by me?"

As Harry was getting ready to take a seat, Ron whipped out a wand and cast _Expelliarmus _on Harry, followed by _Petrificus Partialis_.

Ron visibly gloated, "You seem to be surprised, Harry! Surprised that I'm faring well in this hell hole. You see, there are many things that the guards will do for you, if you let them fuck you! What the hell! I need to be shagged, and they are willing. It all evens out. Of course there are many interesting devices in the Warden's office you can use, if you are his boy toy, and there's Dumbledore's portrait. He's given me invaluable advice, Harry. He knows so much, enough to make me very displeased with you, Harry."

"I thought you would rescue me from this, Harry, but where is the Boy Who Lived when you need him? You haven't visited me, or cared about me since I was shut here. I would've expected a member of the Golden Trio would be treated with the honor he deserves, but I was wrong."

"Why, oh why, did you engage in friendship with the Ferret? You should be trying to destroy him! He is an adept of the Dark Arts, Harry, I'm sure he has asked you to cast them for him. It will never work for you two. He won't leave his Dark Arts, and you won't accept that. It's time for you to realize that."

"I don't know if you understand that Hermione planted ideas in your mind. It was Dumbledore's design, I knew and thought that you didn't need her meddling. You were doing great on your own, except when I thought you had tricked yourself into the Goblet, or when you won at everything so easily, or I had to tolerate you during our horcrux search."

"Don't judge her too harshly, Harry. She was doing it all for the Light's glory. If someone did it for the wrong reasons, then it would surely be mistaken, but if you operate from goodness, then the act is surely blessed."

"I'm sure with her and McGonagall's influence Hogwarts will be saved. The Headmistress walks in the righteous path initiated by the Headmaster, and what she undertakes will be valuable for Gryffindor house."

"I spoke with some people, Harry, to guide you back to me. It seems to me there is at least something that will show you how you must behave regarding more powerful Gryffindors. It's something I've wanted to do for some time."

Ron smirked diabolically, he said, "I would not expect help from Malfoy, he is probably under a _Confundus_ charm cast by my friend Rhodes." He then cast a spell with the wand and disappeared Harry's clothing.

Harry remembered quite clearly that smirk. He'd seen Ron wear it when he viewed the Pensieve rape of Scorpius. He had also seen it on his own face, as he was raping Draco.

What made it worse was the fact that it was his entire fault. He'd rushed into Azkaban without considering the consequences or dangers, without having a back-up plan, and without telling the blonds.

Ron took off his own trousers and underpants. He forcibly separated Harry's legs. He turned him so that Harry was lying on his stomach. He used spit as lubricant and announced heatedly, "Be glad that I'm using some kind of lube, Harry. I've wanted to do this for some time. Hermione was never quite tight enough, but I'm sure you will be, Harry."

With that, Ron impaled Harry. He thrust violently, as if there were no tomorrow. Harry felt like his guts were suddenly on fire. Ron kept saying demeaning things, like he was going to make Harry his boy toy, his bitch for ever. Eventually Ron came and pulled out of Harry.

Ron's contemptuous words completely enraged Harry, "Now that I've had my share of you, the guards will, too! You will soon find what it feels to service many men."

Harry had managed to throw off most of the _Petrificus Partialis_ by this point, and he was truly incensed at Ron's filthy tirade.

Eventually he decided that enough was enough and muttered, "_Accio_ Wand!" Immediately his wand flew to him and he caught it.

He had an inkling of what Draco must have felt like when confronting McGonagall. Sure, due process would be served on the outside, yet inside things would still remain the same. McGonagall – or Ron – would be free to plot again, seeing as how they were consummate actors, members of the Light and purportedly trustworthy individuals. They'd be given a slap in the wrist and they would continue in their present positions and invent something fiercer from which there would be no escape. Exactly like the inexorable plan of Ron's which had turned out successful after all.

It seemed his life led inexorably to this moment, this conundrum. With his clear mental vision, he could sense the chunks of his mind where the Charm had resided, the unnatural wefts weaved by Hermione. His so-called friends had used him very cruelly, and they would continue to do so unto death, it seemed.

He had a mind to laugh gustily at himself for his earlier timorous thoughts. He would grab this bull by the horns, and he would ride it, or die trying.

Before Ron could train his wand on Harry, Harry directed his own to Ron and uttered the two fateful words: "_Avada Kedavra."_ The green light raced toward the redhead and snuffed out his life.

The spell had the force of hate behind it. Hate of fair-weather friends intent on glory, hate of Gryffindors too used to winning easily, hate of daring to presume the path he should always tread.

Harry tried to Apparate to Hogwarts again, but he couldn't locate it, like it was hiding itself from him.

Harry grew panicky as he heard the sounds of multiple footsteps coming closer, surely the lusty guards Ron had bragged about. He didn't want to think what they would do to him, lying naked, with blood running from his backside.

In his mind, he pictured the hall the day of Draco's trial. Draco kissed and blew the Origami letter to Narcissa. He could almost see the sunlight coming through the windows, the smell of rosemary, and as he was mentally reconstructing the scene, he _remembered_ Narcissa holding the letter. There was a mirror just by the side. Concentrating on the mirror, he was able to read some of the letter's contents:

_Malfoy Manor may be located 20 miles from Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, England ._

It felt like he had arrived at a missing link. As the door started opening, Harry concentrated on Apparating to Malfoy Manor. The wards of Azkaban were loath to let him go, but his will was stronger, and he was able to pass. He vanished from the prison island.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

He reappeared in the Manor's drawing room. Narcissa, Andromeda and Antares were there. Narcissa was alarmed and had the House Elves set up a room for Harry. She had taken Healer's courses, so she quickly examined him, and cast appropriate charms to ensure that no sexually transmitted diseases would attack him.

She used the Floo network to contact Lucius in Hogwarts. Apparently Draco did not know about Harry's incident, as he had been the victim of a charm.

Faced with this information, Narcissa felt she had to rush to the care of her Dragon. She asked Andromeda to care for Harry meanwhile. Andromeda agreed and Narcissa hurriedly left.

Harry dazedly woke up. An icy voice said sarcastically, "And I thought we had weathered the worst of the storm. Apparently battling scores of Death Eaters only whetted your appetite for danger, so you had to foolishly crawl into the viper's nest!"

Harry realized Snape was near a towering rage, he'd probably used _Legilimency _to read his memories. He tried to defuse the situation, "I was confused by the killing and you appearing again, I felt I could use some time off with my friend, I never expected him to turn on me so."

Snape continued, "The friend who is not so secretly jealous of you, who turns on you at the slightest provocation? You displayed pitiful survival instincts, Potter. Regarding myself, yes, Draco brought me back in a most ingenious manner."

"You think about Horcruxes and immediately you think about Voldemort! He is not the only one who can create or use them, in fact, such devices have also been employed by the Light side."

"You don't really think that Dumbledore would overlook such magic, do you? In fact, he may have used a Horcrux himself, and I do not think we have seen the last of the bumbling fool."

"As the Headmaster, I am most appalled at your pitiful battle instincts, disregard for rules and foolish confidence in strangers. Three hundred points from Gryffindor! You are grounded in Hogwarts until you graduate. You are banned from playing Quidditch at Hogwarts!"

Harry started to speak, and Snape silenced him, "If you don't like the punishments, talk to Draco. Him I might listen to, you I surely won't. Don't try to look at me with those forlorn green eyes like your treacherous mother. I am done being the Potters' bodyguard."

"I could care less whether you live or die, remember that, Potter!"

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHHRH

When Harry next woke up, he could feel he was lying on a comfortable bed. There was a figure by his side, who gave him his glasses. Harry put them on and recognized Andromeda.

She said, "How are you, Harry? Are you ready to tell us what happened to you?"

Harry asked defensively, "Where is everybody?"

She answered, "They are at Hogwarts. Apparently Draco was hexed by a certain Mr. Rhodes with a _Confundus_ charm. Only Neville's intervention managed to capture that man, but the charm was already cast."

Harry commented, "I can't Apparate to Hogwarts."

Andromeda replied testily, "Must be because Hogwarts was again put under the _Fidelius_ charm to stop the Death Eaters from Apparating there, after McGonagall invited them in! I'm sure Draco would tell you this, before you left."

Harry blushed and said, "I did not speak with him before I left."

Andromeda did not reply directly, instead she commented, "Surely you've wondered why I accepted the Malfoys as parents of Teddy? I must admit that it is an arrangement hard to understand viewed at face value."

"Harry, I watched Remus put his dreams of youth, his friendships with the Marauders above his duty to Nymphadora and Teddy. He cared not one whit about his family as he sought to return to the roots he felt enriched and defined his life. My daughter and my grandson were left worse than alone, they could not hold a candle to three dead friends."

"I know Nymphadora was devastated by this development, and she went on to compound the error. She purposefully tried to lose her own life, believing it was her fault that had let her husband go to such extremes. Again, she cared not one bit about her newborn baby."

"Their deaths were cruelly pointless, and I can't speak kindly of the dead when they do not deserve it. They surely do not deserve a son."

"So that leaves Teddy and me. I do not have a huge patrimony, nor is my health at all felicitous. I worried a lot about taking proper care of Teddy in the difficult years to come. Then there's you, Harry. You were chosen as the godfather, yet you took no particular notice of Teddy, your behavior was on a par with those of Remus and Nymphadora, putting the War above my grandson's choices."

"When Draco contacted me about the adoption deal and after I met the Malfoys, I started to realize they were an excellent choice for Teddy's parents: they had the means, they had the love, they had been scarred by life and War and would profit from that. I took note of something very relevant: they went through hell and never betrayed one another, even if it appeared the easy choice."

"What made me accept the deal was when Draco and I were discussing Antares's magical heritage. Draco was ecstatic that Ant might be a Metamorphmagus. When I raised the possibility that he might be a werewolf, Draco surprised me by accepting that option wholeheartedly and insisting that he'd do anything to help Antares, no matter what."

"In his mind, Draco was putting Antares first, as befits part of his family."

"That is the difference between Draco and Remus. One you can rely on, the other you cannot, except if you live 20 years in the past."

"You still think of Draco as something of a Remus. He isn't. You must trust him and eventually trust that he'll do the right thing for you."

"Above all, Harry, do not act like Remus, going off in a fruitless quest of the mythical past when the living, breathing reality may be ruined by your inaction."

Harry was about to answer when he felt a pillow thrown his way. He squinted in the direction of the door and could see a glowering blonde figure.

Daphne walked in, and growled menacingly, "Just where the hell have you been, Potter? Do you know the hell you've put me through? First I find Draco under a charm – although it made it easy to get compromising photos of him – you're not there. I tried to find you, but no luck."

"Fortunately Narcissa turned up and filled me in."

"So I already know you've been raped! Who did it? Tell me so I get first choice to torture and kill the miscreant."

That was one thing Harry had been afraid of when Ron was having his way with him, that the blonds would try to avenge him. It was one of the reasons he had _AK'ed_ Ron.

Harry launched into an explanation of the day, where several times he had to protect his head from Daphne's powerful thwacks. Even Andromeda seemed poised to intervene on Harry's behalf.

Fortunately Antares started crying, Andromeda went to fetch him. Daphne, watching the little brat, insisted on hugging him and carrying him to and fro. Harry observed this dispassionately, being free from her hits, and he thought she'd make a great mother.

Antares, proudly displaying his abilities, had platinum blond hair, grey eyes and alabaster skin. Harry privately thought the little Metamorphmagus was taking it too far.

Harry considered Antares, or Teddy, looked exactly like Daphne's and Draco's son would look like. He tried to understand the intricacies of making the right sperm meet the right egg at the right time. It looked like a needle in a haystack.

Yet Harry had total recall now, he could examine different datasets and consider their relation with the whole thought-universe.

The idea hit him full fledged, like an inspiration from the gods of yore: he knew how they could conceive Scorpius!

tbc


	19. Needle in a Haystack

Harry used the time to recuperate from his ordeal. Two days later, an imperious Eagle owl arrived bearing a letter, Harry read:

_Hogwarts may be found several miles from Hogsmeade, in Scotland ._

That was all that was written. He felt his stomach lurch as he imagined having a confrontation with an irate Draco.

Daphne's easy acceptance and camaraderie had been balm for his soul, however, she had warned him about Draco's temper. He would surely feel put upon, looked down, because Harry had gone off gallivanting without letting him know.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

In Hogwarts, Draco was getting ready to tear the bed to pieces and throw it in that witch's face. The gall of Abbott! She should have let him go long ago, but she insisted on keeping him under observation because of that damned charm!

Fortunately Draco remembered what he had done to the caster, and that had been rewarding.

Draco paced to and fro. Narcissa watched him warily as she herself carried little Antares into the room. Andromeda looked sardonically on. Narcissa had to admit that her sister had the makings of a great Slytherin. It was she who suggested bringing Antares to Hogwarts, and it had turned out to be an unqualified success.

Antares seemed to thrive in the magical atmosphere of the castle. The students looked interestedly at the obvious Malfoys and the kind lady.

Draco was in the middle of muttering some curses under his breath, when he noticed the new arrivals. He grinned and greeted them, "Hi Mother, Aunt, Antares." He kissed Antares's forehead and the baby opened his arms. Immediately Draco embraced him and took him from Narcissa. He started talking to Antares about the wonderful things they would do when he was old enough, as he rocked him.

Narcissa and Andromeda realized that Draco made a great big brother and would be a superb father when his turn came. Narcissa thought sadly that Draco should have had many siblings. She had the sneaky suspicion that some Dark Arts use had caused infertility in Lucius, so Draco was left as the only child.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry was nervously waiting in Malfoy Manor. He was ready to return to Hogwarts – and Draco – when he received an owl from Daphne asking to wait for another hour.

The hour was almost gone, and he anxiously twisted his robe's hem as he prepared to Apparate when a slim figure approached. Daphne narrowed her eyes and joked, "Ready to go without me, Harry? How rude!"

Harry fretfully smiled and replied, "What news do you bring?" Daphne answered seriously, "I'm afraid not very good. Headmaster Snape went to see him and apparently relayed some of what happened to you. There were crashing noises heard afterwards, so you may assume that Draco was pissed."

"For what it's worth, I find myself agreeing with some of his views. It seems clear that you're afraid your relationship with us will inexorably lead you into Dark Arts use. Harry, sorry to disabuse you of the notion, but if Draco really wanted to reign supreme in the Dark Arts or the world, he would do it: he's got the charisma, the money, the connections, the magical prowess to do that, if he so wished. He wouldn't need you at all, in fact, you would be a colossal stumbling block in such a plan."

"I don't know what Draco will say. I _will_ tell you this: if our contact so besmirches you as you've led us to believe, then by all means search for other friends like the redoubtable Granger and Weasley. _Oh, excuse me!_ I forgot, the one raped your mind, the other your body! But even so, you'd forgive them in a heartbeat, for they are Gryffindors, and thus unconquerably Light!"

"Sorry to be quite blunt, but there are times when it pays to be so, when you have to make the person aware of the consequences."

"Harry, this was not the only noteworthy incident of an insufferable Weasley. In my mind, I can picture several instances when an overbearing git Weasley hurt you deeply, most notably during the Three-Wizard Tournament. It amazed us that you did not retaliate at all, that you did not defend yourself and put a stop to the git's airs, you simply forgave him, light as rain. And he did it again."

"You never did correct him, Harry. I can picture in the Weasel's eyes how that made everything OK. You were his friend and would surely forgive it all."

"I don't want you to have that kind of relationship with us! I want you vibrant, full of will, full of desire. If something pisses you off, by all means let us know! In a sense this has always been true, your interactions with Draco had been full of hate, but always had a core of truth. We will build on that, if you let us."

"Please Harry, don't use the Dark Arts excuse as a shield behind which you can hide your feelings, and don't go around gallivanting like a herd of constipated rampaging hippogriffs."

"There is no such thing as Dark or Light. There are spells with Darker intent, hurtful and deathly. Those spells can be used by anybody, you don't need a Dark label to employ them."

"Mind-controlling spells are the worst of the lot. Dark Lords seldom use them, but your friend Granger was a consummate expert on them, even before leaving Hogwarts. As a matter of fact, she dabbled in them since Third Year, aided by the esteemed, _Light_ Headmaster Dumbledore."

"We are not your Keepers. We could never be. We hope to become your mates someday. If you don't want to tell us where you're going, fine, but let a responsible person or persons know!"

Then Daphne approached and kissed a surprised Harry. Harry was a little taller than she, and fitted perfectly into her pert figure. Harry discovered that blondes do kiss better. It was sweet and loving, it felt as beautiful as the patterns made by butterfly wings, and just as free. It healed his mind a bit from the ordeal. It had a different kind of passion than the kiss with Draco. It was heart-warming.

He realized then that he could never leave them voluntarily. He understood the heavy weight of facing difficult odds and imagining what the future would bring, the perils caused by evil people that could afford to wait for the slow majesty of the law to pass them by, using it to perfect their deadly strike again.

Daphne and Harry separated, and she said, "Time to face the Dragon, Harry!"

Harry gulped as he was Apparated alongside Daphne.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

When Harry entered Draco's Infirmary room, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He could see a happy Draco making faces at his little brother as Narcissa and Andromeda smirked.

Draco saw Daphne and Harry suddenly appear, and instead of flying into a rage as everybody expected, he opened his arms.

Harry ran to him followed closely by Daphne. There they were, the Silver trio and the baby Malfoy. Of course Draco, being the observant Slytherin he prided himself to be, had noticed their swollen lips and glazed looks. He rolled his eyes at their backs.

Daphne retorted, "No rolling of eyes!"  
Draco answered surprised, "How did you know?"  
She replied neutrally, "It's obvious for anyone who knows you."

Andromeda was mentally patting herself on the back. Her plans to tame the Dragon and have Daphne bring the Lion at the right moment seemed to be working.

Draco continued to talk to Antares, he promised him the best broom and was singing the praises of the Slytherin Quidditch team when he was thwacked by Daphne, Harry, _and_ Antares. He weakly glared at them and shut up momentarily.

Narcissa called up the House Elves and ordered a light repast, accompanied by vintage butterbeer. They ate with relish, except for Antares, who was given a warm bottle of milk by his mother Narcissa.

Presently Draco started, "After I eventually woke up in here, and managed to track down that man Rhodes and interrogate him, he told me about Weasley's plans."

"He was the darling of the guards and could do anything he wanted in there. He performed for them. He was also a Veela and could ensnare them into doing his will. He even got to be the plaything of the Warden, with access to his office and all those artifacts. Eventually he came into contact with Dumbledore's painting."

"The former Headmaster suggested that, in order to make Harry more amenable, he had to be broken first. Weasley came up with the idea of luring Harry to Azkaban. They planned to keep you there for months, until you broke. Without anyone knowing where you were, they might have succeeded. Just think about that, Harry."

"Regarding McGonagall, she had detailed plans to insure the success of the ritual that would initiate the Protection Charm. She opened the wards to the former Death Eaters and trapped us in the Great Hall. However, she had made arrangements in case things didn't work out. It was fortunate for us, and indeed the world, that Neville Longbottom showed true wisdom and courage in declining the apparently easy path. McGonagall, nonetheless, had located several other possible heirs, including Seamus Finnigan."

"What the investigators would have found would have been evidence that she tried to do something, however ineffectual, however pitiful and late, to correct the situation, exactly what Dumbledore did in the Three-Wizard Tournament farce. Dumbledore still holds sway in some parts of the Government. She would have been let go free."

"Granger was a walking bombshell. She mentally commanded you for years, she tried to do the same to Neville and me. Several times I let her go, punishing her where appropriate and trying to make her less of a walking landmine. She would not understand. She thought that ordering other people around was her calling, even when they detested her and wanted nothing to do with her. There's no doubt in my mind that if she had lived, she would have gotten out of prison thanks to her powers and then she would have mercilessly hunted and killed us."

"I have no regrets for what I did, because I did it for my family, for you. I would've explained this to you sooner, Harry, but you just up and left."

Harry just snuggled up to Draco and said, "Sorry!" Draco hugged him back just as fiercely, taking care not to smother Antares, who was clinging to his side.

Daphne, after unobtrusively taking some photographs and hiding the camera, hugged them.

Harry watched them, his budding family. He recalled his idea about Scorpius and decided to tell them.

"Hey guys, I remember what you told me about…" Harry interrupted himself and looked inquiringly at Narcissa and Andromeda. Draco reassured him, "They know, Harry. You can tell the truth."

Harry continued doggedly, "I remember what you told me about your son. You could never have him again because it was the chance meeting of sperm with the ovum in such a time. There are millions of germinal cells, thus the possibility of conceiving the same exact son are something like finding a needle in a haystack."

"You're forgetting magic! And you are purebloods! Magic can help us if we use it wisely."

Harry smirked and added triumphantly, "Hermione had her uses. She created a spell that could be used to reveal the provenance of certain objects, it needed the original object or a part. I remember that, and know how to mesh it with a protection spell. When the time comes and it is cast, it will track the sperm and egg that will become Scorpius. It will let you know when it is the right moment to make love, it will protect and guide the correct sperm to the ovum."

The blonds looked amazingly happy, until Draco's visage darkened and he said, "It's a good idea, Harry, but you forgot that Scorpius lived in the future. There's nothing of him remaining now." Draco looked down and gingerly touched his cheeks with his fingers, belying the traces of tears.

Harry visibly crowed as he answered, "Of course I know that Draco! I also know that magical paintings and photos hold some amount of the magic of the person they portray, or how do you explain the talking paintings or the moving photos? I also know you always carry with you that old photo of you, Daphne and Scorpius."

"I solemnly assure you that upon that tattered photo we will build our happiness!"

Draco blanched and asked, "When do you want to do this, Harry?"

Harry replied breathily, "No time like the present."

When the moment came for Draco to part with the photo, he almost didn't want to do it. The photo and the memories it held had truly sustained him during many difficult times. He despaired of ever seeing it again. Then he looked at Antares as he was playing with Narcissa and imagined what it would feel like to have Scorpius again, some years hence.

Grudgingly, he gave the photo to Harry. Harry recognized Draco's struggle and used a duplication charm to make a copy of the photo. He gave the copy back to Draco, who lovingly folded it back into his robe.

Harry concentrated powerfully his magic and his will. He wanted the spell to work. He intended the spell to succeed, and so invested his innermost resources.

Harry intoned, "_Centrum veritas Scorpius, Veritas aeternum, Protego!" _He swished and brandished his wand with verve and poise, like the consummate Wizard that he was.

The photo disappeared in a shower of golden sparks, until just two small glowing spheres were left. Immediately they started to drift towards Draco and Daphne and entered their stomachs.

Harry timidly asked, "Did it work?"

Draco answered with a smirk, "Ask me again in seven years, 2 months, three days and 4 hours!"

Harry asked shortly and somewhat irately, "What?"

Daphne replied, "I'm sure that's when the conception will occur, and I am sure that it will work, because you cast it, Harry, with power, and hopefully with love."

They continued talking at leisure and drinking butterbeer.

Draco suddenly asked Daphne, "Hey Daphne, what happened with the camera?"

Daphne visibly choked on her butterbeer. However, she wasn't a Slytherin for nothing, and managed to answer nonchalantly, "I don't know, Draco. I heard McGonagall took things from several students to prepare her alibi." It was true, it was also irrelevant.

Harry noticed the predicament of his fellow blonde, and decided to help her with the distraction. He challenged Draco to catch the Snitch.

When Draco raised the issue of Severus's order to stop playing Quidditch, Harry replied coolly that it wasn't Quidditch at all, just a game of one on one.

Draco agreed and the Silver trio went to the pitch. Antares was taking a nap and Narcissa and Andromeda stayed with him.

Harry and Draco went at it with gusto. Daphne nominated herself for the role of referee. Her method of dealing with infractions was swift and painful: a thwack upside the head. She made sure to take away Draco's time-turner, whereupon he scowled at her.

The game was delightful and easy, everything that their history had prevented from coming to pass. Free of the expectations of the others, they enjoyed an intense, physical challenge. They wanted to win, but they also wanted the recognition of the other.

Eventually Draco won, and he had the decency not to crow too much. Of course, it might've had to do with Daphne's warning glare.

The day that had seemed so foreboding for Harry ended up with him wrapped in the embrace of two-thirds of the Silver trio.

tbc


	20. The second time

_It's the second time  
I know I've seen you here before  
It's no coincidence, I'm sure  
That once again my spirit soars  
And the second time  
Is always harder than the first  
Forgetting lines that I'd rehearsed  
I fear the best, I fear the worst_

_Love is brave, it has ambition  
Unafraid makes no condition  
When I say how much I love you  
You feel I know you a thousand years_

The Second Time_, Francis Lai, Tim Rice)_

NC-17 content

Antares turned out to be a frequent visitor to Hogwarts. Of course, having the Headmaster as his godfather may have had something to do with it. He was always received with joy by Draco, a doting Daphne and increasingly, Harry.

He was seemingly fascinated by Harry's dark locks, being more used now to blond ones. Eventually Antares used his Metamorphmagus powers to make himself raven-haired. When Draco noticed, he just gritted his teeth, narrowed his eyes and prepared to execute the Insidious and Dastardly Stuffed Bear Plot. Antares would be swamped by such a selection of bears that he must inexorably love Draco more.

He initiated his plushie attack the next day, presenting Antares with a sober-looking, robe-covered bear. Unfortunately Harry retaliated with a bear of his own, a disgustingly cheerful Muggle-clothed bear wearing the Gryffindor colors!

So the war was launched, and it grew increasingly jaded and more desperate, to judge by the number of outlandishly clothed bears. Draco raised the stakes giving Antares a stuffed Snake, whereupon Harry glared and left, presumably to get the Lion he presented to Antares the next day.

It would have gone on, if Draco had not been overenthusiastic with one of his plushies. He put too much magic into it. After he proudly gave Antares a fierce – but adorable – dragon, he had to leave for Potions, so he missed it when the dragon got enraged by something and breathed fire, incinerating three napkins.

When Draco came back from the class, blissfully unaware of this, he was waylaid by the combined forces of Narcissa, Andromeda and Daphne. Needless to say, the outcome was never in doubt, and a slightly subdued Draco promised a Plushie Armistice.

Privately Draco couldn't help but smirk when Harry's final offering, a golden and scarlet Griffin, went berserk and decided to munch on Andromeda's owl. The poor bird got her claw trapped in the Griffin's beak, and it was only after a lot of coaxing from Harry that it let go. The bird flew to her perch after looking accusatorily at all of them.

Strangely enough, Antares grew very much attached to the troublesome plushies. Draco and Harry were able to moderate the magic in them and they became quite safe, although Andromeda's owl still viewed them with a jaundiced eye. As a matter of fact, the dragon and the griffin became very good friends, after a rocky start.

One February day, a concerned Draco asked Harry, "I think there's something wrong with the spell you used on me, Harry."

Harry replied, "What do you mean?"

"Yesterday I felt like there were still 7 years, 1 month and 3 days till conception, but today I got this: 7 years, 3 months, 6 days."

Harry answered, "The spell is reacting to changing, dynamic circumstances. The number of things that have to be taken into account to produce that fertilization are staggering. You will find it changes very frequently. Do not fear this."

Then Draco tackled Harry to the floor and wrestled with him. It was a liberating, if juvenile experience. It was quite different from trying to hurt Harry or Harry trying to hurt him. If Draco sometimes shuddered and shrank back from the contact, no one noticed.

Draco stood up and looked critically at Harry. He said imperiously, "What are you still doing here, Harry?"

Harry asked nonplussed, "Hmm?"

Draco replied, drawling lazily, "You should be in the Quidditch pitch." Harry's face fell, and he answered testily, "I cannot play, don't you remember?"

Draco commented, "Of course I know that. I also know that our matches were always eagerly awaited. I think Quidditch loses a lot of its appeal when you are not with me, vying for the Snitch."

Harry interjected cheekily, "And winning!"

Draco grimaced and continued, "I realized Quidditch is not Quidditch without you. I convinced Severus to lift his ban. As the reinstated Gryffindor Seeker, you have a match next week against Ravenclaw. Your team will start training in half an hour. Time for you to show up."

Draco muttered something and a package flew toward him. He presented it to Harry, something very badly wrapped that was long and thin, like a broom!

He eagerly unwrapped it and found a state of the art new broom. He was speechless.

Draco said, "This is the _Strato_. It's supposed to be better than the _Firebolt_. Perhaps it will be good enough that you can win in it, maybe it will protect you someday as you flee the _Fiendfyre_."

"Perhaps it is strong and resilient enough to symbolize our second time. Once, for a short time, I thought I had you, and was happy. I was cruelly disabused of that notion, and life became even more of a struggle than it already was. I am afraid, Harry, but also hopeful."

"The hopeful part wins with you, Harry. It seems it always does."

Draco grinned wryly, and Harry just had to kiss that grin. His kiss was soft, and tender, with the beginning of deep passion.

And just when the kiss threatened to become incendiary, they were thwacked upside the head. There was only one person powerful enough, or foolhardy enough, to dare that: the missing member of the Silver trio.

Daphne sauntered up to them and said in a seemingly sweet tone, "Harry, you have practice! Of all the things!" Fortunately – or unfortunately – they didn't see her hide the incriminating camera.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The next day Andromeda and Narcissa showed up. Narcissa was carrying a burbling Antares. It seemed the wily Metamorphmagus detected the tension and tried to compromise, his locks were both ebony and platinum blond, which meshed to create a slightly sweet, if jarring impression.

Harry and Draco mentally patted themselves in the back for a well-executed Stuffed Bear conspiracy.

Draco greeted Narcissa and he observed that she was tense. It seemed she was nervous about something. He could count on his fingers the number of times when he had seen her so nervous.

Draco ordered the Elves to bring some refreshments. Narcissa took out Antares's bottle from her own endless bag, warmed it with a spell, and he started his meal.

After they'd all had a butterbeer and they had talked about the Manor, Draco asked his mother, "Mother, is there something wrong? Something you want to tell me?"

Narcissa answered nervously, "There's something I have to tell you, Draco. I don't know how you'll react."

Draco was really worried at this moment. He thought maybe Narcissa or Lucius had some incurable disease, or a new Dark Lord had turned up. He tried to prepare himself for the worst.

Narcissa continued, "After you were born, Lucius and I tried to have kids again. Months, and then years passed, and we couldn't. Your father has blamed himself for this, saying that some Dark Arts magic must have caused his sterility."

"Apparently that was temporary. I am expecting a baby boy, Draco. Your brother!"

Draco was speechless, he seemingly started to hyperventilate. Then he collected himself and finally he launched himself at Narcissa, being careful about Antares and his mom's condition.

He started babbling, thanking Narcissa for giving him another brother. Then he immediately launched the idea of naming the boy Deneb. When asked by Harry, he simply said, "Everyone knows that Deneb and Antares go together. It's simple!"

Everyone looked a little daunted at the thought of a rampaging Draco intent on getting his way.

Draco merrily went on, "How much time do you have left, Mother?" When Daphne glared at him, he corrected himself hastily, "I mean, how long until the birth?"

Narcissa replied, "I'm two months along. You can expect your brother in September."

Draco answered, "Did you hear that, Harry? Maybe the baby will be born on your birthday! You would have someone else to share that day!"

Daphne opined a little harshly, "If you're so interested in birthdays, Draco, you might need to know that mine is in four days!"

Both Draco and Harry seemed genuinely surprised and ashamed to find out so late. Of course, they were putting up an act. Draco had been married to Daphne, of course he knew when her birthday was, he'd told Harry, who suggested this rather Slytherin theatrical approach. If Daphne hadn't been so incensed, she would have surely noticed.

At any rate, what she next said blew them out of the water, "My parents are coming for my birthday! I wanted them to come later, but they wanted to meet you."

Harry looked hopefully at Draco's and Daphne's face and she clarified sternly, "They want to meet _both_ of you."

That piece of news seemed to put a dent in their mood. They still talked amiably with Narcissa and Andromeda, the Black Sisters, they played with Antares and his beloved plushies, but they were worrying about how the Greengrasses would react to them.

Eventually everybody left, including a miffed Daphne. That left them alone.

They were slightly nervous and horny. Draco proceeded to attack Harry's lips as if they bore the sweetest nectar of Eden, which for him they did. They wrestled each other out of their clothes, a little awkwardly but with the underlying tension of the fire they were slowly feeding within themselves.

Draco eyed Harry's body appreciatively. The Seeker was very fit, his lean body was perfect for that sport. He was also hung, it seemed.

He started kissing his lips and went down to kiss his nipples, his chest. He kissed his love trail and eventually started licking his cock, finally taking it down. Harry was in seventh heaven. The sensations he was enjoying were unlike what they had been with Ginny, when he felt he was only playing a role, doing it by rote.

When Harry was sure that in the next moments he was going to blow his load, Draco stopped. Harry groaned and moaned, and Draco _accio'd_ a vial of lube. He asked Harry, "Do you trust me, Harry?"

Harry commented a little tartly, "Yeah, I do."

Draco replied, "Prepare for the ride of your life!"

He guided the Seeker to the bed. He coated his fingers with the lube and used them to tease Harry's entrance. When he finally got accustomed to one finger, he inserted another and scissored them. Later still he used a third one.

Harry had been worried that it would hurt like it did with Ron, yet he felt nothing but a slight burning, which actually was interesting after some time. He grew used to the fingers, and could feel them touching something inside him that made him writhe in pleasure. He wanted, he needed, something more, and he knew what it was.

Harry said breathily, "Come on and fuck me, Draco! Fuck me like you mean it!"

Draco was very turned on. He hastily coated his cock with the lube and started to push inside Harry. He tried to go slowly, knowing it could be difficult for the beginner. However Harry continually sought to impale himself, he constantly pushed backwards.

Soon he was completely in Harry, and the raven-haired boy said, "Move Draco!" Draco started to take out his cock and only leaving the tip, or completely taking it out and then pushing in.

Draco was so intent on his rhythm, that it came as a surprise to him when Harry came. He felt Harry clenching around his cock, and that caused him to come himself.

He took himself out of Harry, and used a spell to clean both of them.

They dressed leisurely and snuggled together. They fell asleep, somewhat tired because of their encounter.

Two hours later they were woken up by a series of frantic knocks at the door. Draco looked fit to wrestle a dragon to the ground, and Harry decided to go with the Slytherin and try to prevent bloodshed. They opened the door to discover several Third Years. This group didn't seem to be in awe of Malfoy and Potter. Very politely they asked how was it possible that Draco had so many different brothers all of a sudden?

Harry and Draco were stymied until the students explained that they frequently saw Mrs. Malfoy and one of her sons, a blond one, come here; the next day, she carried a raven-haired child, the next day, one whose hair had mixed colors. How could she have so many children? Were they triplets or something?

Harry and Draco visibly contained themselves and bade their guests good-bye. After they left they started guffawing so much they fell to the floor. It felt like a good omen for the future.

It was a pity that they hadn't seen the moment when Harper Finch-Fletchley called a small sphere to him. The student pocketed it guiltily.

tbc


	21. Fourth twist

As Daphne's birthday approached, Harry became more frantic, pestering Draco about information concerning her parents. At first Draco replied that they were surprisingly easy to get along with, and very supportive of her, in his view there was nothing to worry about. Harry uttered then the fateful question, "They were good to you the first time, will they also be good the second time?"

Eventually Draco became a little excitable. Daphne visibly reined her need to throw pillows at them and generally be sulky and moody, after all, she did want birthday gifts.

It was the day before her party. Draco had invited Harry to Diagon Alley and Muggle London to get a new wardrobe. In his view, Harry looked resplendent in his dark-green robes, with white shirt and cummerbund. Harry had tried futilely to argue against that combo, but Draco's glare and his comment that her parents liked that finally tipped the scales.

Back in Hogwarts, Harry received an Origami letter requesting an appointment in the Room of Requirement. At first he thought it was Draco, but the letter smelled like lilies. His instincts told him it was a svelte blonde who wasn't a Seeker.

Harry went to the date and had a relaxed dinner and conversation with Daphne. They soon fell to kissing, and in very little time they had shed their clothes. Harry shyly wanted to ask a question but Daphne, as was her wont, easily guessed what it was, "You are my first, Harry."

Harry replied, "I, but shouldn't you wait for Draco?"

Daphne commented, "He won't mind. In fact he suggested it. He said it would be a good way to diminish tension in his bondmates, he also threatened you with fire from a real dragon if you hurt me."

Eventually they made love, and Harry was very gentle, even to the point of igniting Daphne's ire in such a way that she groaned, "Faster, Harry!"

It was a wonderful feeling, the afterglow with Daphne, and Harry pondered the differences and similarities with Draco. Harry thought that some people would disagree strenuously with the new direction his life had taken, mainly Gryffindors, but the change was enriching and rewarding on its own.

Draco was daydreaming about his mates, the blonde and the dark-haired one, when a light came up from the aisle, and he sensed something enter his room. Immediately he grabbed the Elder wand and pointed it toward the disturbance, which acquired a shape and turned out to be Moaning Myrtle.

Draco had a soft spot in his heart for Myrtle. When he felt himself in the brink of despair and no one knew or helped, Myrtle had been the only sentient being he had trusted with the information. She had supported him wholeheartedly, even held him in her heart more than Potter, which appealed to his ego.

In the other reality, she was oftentimes his only bulwark against the Gryffindors' and Slytherins' pranks.

He greeted her amiably and listened to her conversation, never acting in a condescending way with her, which he knew she detested. He felt she had something to tell him. However, when it seemed that finally she was going to talk about it, Harry entered the room. Myrtle looked flustered, or as blushing as a ghost could look. She muttered that she had to go back and hurriedly sank into the wall.

For Daphne's birthday, Draco had a portkey prepared to take them to Malfoy Manor. His parents, brother and Aunt were waiting for them, along with Severus and the Greengrasses. It was then that Harry and Draco presented Daphne with their gifts. Harry's were a new _Strato_ broom like his and also a Golden Snitch, which had the following sentiment inscribed: _You've got my heart._

Then Draco offered his gifts, he said, "I've brought more presents for some of you. I have a hunch that the troublesome times are not over, and I don't want you to be unprotected. These bracelets have Protection Charms integrated into them. They will be invisible for non-Malfoys, those Charms should keep you safe for a while. I know you must be thinking about the Gryffindor Protection Charm and the problem it caused."

"These ones are similarly constructed, with the proviso that they will only last two months. After that time, the Charm becomes inactive. It must be forever so if reality is to be allowed a free development."

Draco took out a silver bracelet and put it on Daphne, he took another silver one and put it on Harry. Finally he took a golden one and put it on his mother.

They had a good celebration, the food and wines were superb, and they danced happily. Harry tried to prove he danced better than Draco, so they engaged in some healthy competition, which was fine until Daphne, tired of being dragged here and there by the two Seekers, solemnly thwacked them and told them to grow up, or dance with each other.  
They took her at her word and danced energetically with each other. Draco observed that Harry took to dancing like he did to flying and performing magic: with gusto and panache.

The next day after breakfast they had a serious talk with Michael and Daisy Greengrass, Daphne's parents. Michael started by asking Draco a serious question, "What are your intentions toward my daughter?"

"I love her, I want her to be the mother of my children. I intend to marry her soon after finishing Hogwarts. As you know, I'm Lord Malfoy, I have no shortage of riches, but I have lacked good memories and warm love. Daphne and I can work well together."

"The Malfoy inheritance is enormous. People will look for ways to thwart the family, that's why there must be an undisputed marriage between the heir's parents. But I also have some plans of my own and the inheritance rules concerning bondmates are much more agreeable."

"There's also Harry, whom we love. As you know, the purebloods follow etiquette their own way and only insist in the need of a proper bonding ceremony."

"We intend to bond with Harry, and with his help and participation, our family will be strong and happy and loving."

Daisy asked Harry, "What are your intentions toward my daughter, Mr. Potter?"

Harry answered passionately, "She is a spitfire, and she can bend others to her will. She is beautiful and warm, and very easy to love. She is what I would like in a wife, or a bondmate. I have no doubts about Draco's and her feelings, and I only hope they have the same feelings towards me. I would be honored to bond with her and Draco."

Michael consulted his wife silently, with a very intense look, as if weighing her opinion carefully through the nuance of facial movements. He said finally, "Then I will expect to see you draw a schedule, Draco, including any kind of objection that could obtain and how to circumvent it. Is the _Fidelius_ charm still active in Hogwarts?"

Draco answered affirmatively. Michael didn't look very worried. Harry looked triumphantly, a little smugly, towards Draco, when Mrs. Greengrass added, "And of course the ceremonies will have to be planned precisely in advance, and I will need you for that, Harry."

Harry's face fell, and both Draco and he looked accusingly at a smirking Daphne, who smirked until her father said, "Daphne, you'll have to coordinate the wardrobe of all the ladies, and you know how particular wizards can be regarding proper attire for the important ceremonies. You'll have to be on your feet."

Draco had an ominous foreboding. Things would surely get heated, with Narcissa, Daisy, and Daphne trying to plan the parties. Maybe it was time to concoct another brilliant Draconian plan to be elsewhere.

They returned to Hogwarts, and in the afternoon there were knocks on the door as some third years, like Palomar Patil, Harper Finch-Fletchley and Annie Smith, stopped by to chat with them. This became something common. The third years would stop by three or four times a week and talk about their schoolwork, families, magic. They were nice, agreeable students.

And so the months of March and April passed serenely by. The future bondmates grew closer together, and all seemed well.

Draco had a dream, in it he was able to see Scorpius. His son asked, "You've been good, dad?" Draco replied, " Yes, I have, I expect we will meet someday in the flesh, again." Scorpius answered, "We will. However the dark times are approaching. I'm afraid you have to make sure that the Protection Charms work on the bracelets, they will soon need them. Just remember the definition of magical limits. Not everything is as it appears."

Draco asked, "What's going to happen? Why is the world interested in the Malfoy affairs?"

Scorpius solemnly answered, "Because you freed us, you freed the world, and asked nothing in return, not even acknowledgement. The world feels constrained to help you with hunches and ideas. Because reality may not be eternal, matter decays and magic fails. Only love lasts forever."

In the morning Draco made sure to make his rounds of the bracelets and make sure that they still worked. Because they had to prepare the final exams, they were all a little hectic. Harry, Draco and Daphne didn't feel enough energy for a loving experience, so they just plopped in their respective beds.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco was wrestling with Potions class without Harry to share the burden and banter – and flirt - with, when a timid First Year passed him a note from Andromeda, asking to meet with him in his quarters.

With deep foreboding, Draco went. He found Andromeda crying, trying to console a blond, sobbing Antares. Daphne sat immobile, as if wanting to lend strength through her presence but barely maintaining her inner balance. Severus had a perfect mask, as befits the successful spy and former Head of Slytherin.

They informed Draco that Narcissa had been abducted that morning, and Harry… They didn't want to tell him, so they took the memory from Andromeda and put it in a Pensieve. Draco had to see this. He mentally berated himself for having fears. He would see what it was that discouraged and disheartened them so and deal with it. He flicked the Pensieve to exposition mode and the memory played.

He saw Narcissa and Andromeda with Antares. Harry approached them, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. He took Antares from his mother and cooed, "Come on, Antares, time to go to your grandmother."

When the baby was with Andromeda, Harry took out his wand. He started swishing and flicking it perfunctorily towards Narcissa. Whatever the spell was, it obviously couldn't penetrate the Protection Charm, Narcissa's bracelet was clearly visible to Draco.

Harry got angrier and said, "It's time to rid the world of the Malfoys. Your foolish son believed me when I pretended to be sorry for what I did to him in the future! He is as foolish now as he was in the other world. I will destroy his precious mother and future brother, like he killed my precious Hedwig!"

"It was easy to plant the suggestions in Hermione's mind so when your son raped her fine thoughts he would find the evidence that would convince him of my innocence! It was I who manipulated brilliant Hermione into learning those spells and using them."

"The spell I invented for them for their son, it won't work! One day the dates are different from the other, when they should be the same, not a proficient spell at all! But I had to use Scorpius' photo which Daphne passed to Draco and nearly lost the day of the trial!"

Then Harry proceeded to try a different spell, a more powerful one, with more baroque swishes which he performed lackadaisically. It didn't work. While he was brandishing his wand and had his wand hand raised up, Narcissa tackled him. She appeared to fight futilely with him, and the only result was that his sleeve on the other side rose up all the way to the elbow, showing unblemished skin.

Harry manhandled Narcissa into walking ahead of him and went out of view of the Pensieve.

Draco could hear Antares crying. He went to the little blond boy and held him in his arms and promised him, "We'll get them back, Ant!" He motioned for Andromeda to take Antares to the bedroom. He felt he was near exploding, and didn't want to have his brother near.

Draco was seething. He nearly shouted into the door, "The escape clause for love seems to be betrayal!" Then he started conjuring china that he threw against the wall.

He commanded, "Leave me alone! Except you, Severus, I have need of the master spy, the quintessential Slytherin." Later he announced, "All gloves are off!" He took out a Galleon and wrote something on it.

tbc


	22. The Studious Spy

Draco stopped Daphne from leaving, and motioned for Andromeda to take care of Antares and then come back. He was seething, but not at the person they thought. He had no doubts about the innocence of a certain individual. When Andromeda returned, after having given Antares his meal and left him with a pacifier, he was ready to enter the thought-universe.

Ever since his soul had been healed and he enjoyed total recall, the allure of the interconnection of data was maddening. He had to try, in a conscious effort, to stay away from the thought-Universe. He could cross the threshold, but it required strength and finesse. The lure of following the data wherever they may lead was overpowering, and he was afraid that if ever he stayed there for enough time, he would not be able to return to the real world.

Still, the dire situation merited it. He entered the trance-like state and analyzed the data in all possible combinations, and their relation to the past.

He tried to conjecture what his enemies would use, how they might seek to obtain information from him.

Presently he opened his eyes, which shone bright silver, and intoned, "_Accio _recorders!"

They were able to sense some disturbances in the room as apparently Draco was hit by three unknown flying objects. Further study showed that they were indeed tape recorders, wrapped in boxes covered by demiguise hair, which effectively made them invisible. Draco being a pureblood, it could be expected that he would not know of the tape recorder technology.

Draco said sarcastically, "Thank Merlin Hermione Granger provided me with a spell to detect the origins of objects. I think I will use it now: "_Centrum Veritas_"" Above each exposed recorder there appeared a globe of light with a name written on it: the names were Harper Finch-Fletchley, Palomar Patil and Annie Smith.

Draco was furious, "The third years? They were so nice and congenial, it was all a trap. They will regret it!"

Draco took out a Galleon and wrote something on it.

He then asked Daphne, "Do you think Potter did it?"

She replied, "No. I believe in him. The evidence would seem to condemn him, but I'm sure he wouldn't throw us out so cruelly, especially letting Andromeda go and not even giving her an _Obliviate_."

Draco smirked proudly and commented, "As I expected, Green Eyes."

Draco addressed them all, "I concur with Daphne. Let me offer my observations, and if you can shed light about them, please do so. There's the small fact that Potter kept trying to hex my mother, even when he found out it didn't work, and even if he should have known about the Protection Charm, if he was really Potter."

"There's also the fact that he wasn't wearing any bracelets. They are charmed so only I can remove them. My mother noticed this and therefore orchestrated the scuffling so I could see Potter's arms, free of any bracelet. The way Potter cast the spells was lazy, indolent, tired, not at all like Potter's exuberance when casting magic."

"Also important is that he called Antares "_Antares_" Harry has never done that, I expect some day he will, but not for some time. What cinches this for me is the very upsetting fact that Potter appears to know something that _no one else knows._ Some things that I haven't even discussed with Daphne. Details that exist _only_ in my mind."

"And finally, in his fight with my mother, he reacted like a girl. I have fought with him for many years, in and out of school, and he never showed those moves."

Severus interjected, "Quite interesting, Draco, but couldn't he have acquired these facts through _Legilimency?"_

Draco answered somewhat testily, "I'm a better _Occlumens_ than he is a _Legilimens_, Severus. You should also consider ending your feud with Potter. I've tried to free your mind from unwarranted tension regarding the Potter Seniors. If you let go of the huge hate, you would profit by it."

Draco continued in a wistful voice, "I submit to you that reality is much more than the physical make-up of the world. It is the mind's reaction to its environment. I ask you what would be the better coup; kill one of us so the others go in a rampant revenge? It would be so much better if you manipulated things so that one of us seems brazenly guilty and is broken by their own. The rest would feel the guilt and would surely crumble within."

"This modus operandi seems to hinge in a swift reaction to the seemingly unspeakable betrayal. They expect that we will fall on him like berserk piranhas. It denotes a Gryffindor mindset to me."

"There's also the exquisite way Harry was played. Obviously the player was privy to an enormous amount of information, and that lent certain verisimilitude to the act. Fortunately I know Harry better than anyone else and can spot his obnoxious quirky habits."

"Aunt, now that Antares is sleeping, could you bring here his Griffin plushie?"

Andromeda stood up and went to the bedroom, returning with Griff, who seemed to malevolently glare at them. Draco visibly narrowed his eyes at the golden-scarlet plushie and tried to pacify it, he didn't want it to bite him. "Listen, little fellow, I need to cast a spell on you so I can find your creator, he left part of his magic in you, I think he may be in trouble. You wouldn't want the dragon's creator to be sorry, would you?"

If Harry had been present, he would've snorted and commented that Draco had to try to charm even the plushies.

The griffin calmed down and Draco said, "_Centrum veritas!"_ There appeared a globe with some words inscribed. They got near and read:

_Harry Potter_

_Location: Unknown_

_Direction: Down_

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Draco opened and found Goyle and Blaise. They were handling the three third years, who suffered _Immobulus_ and _Mobilicorpus._ Draco bade them to wait in a little alcove down the corridor for a little while.

He came back to the room and nervously waited for his next guest. Soon there came a loud knocking at the door. He went to answer and soon a dashing figure clothed in a golden and red robe swept into the room, his cowl hid his face, but he projected all the auteur, unconscious posturing of a proud pureblood.

Draco asked, "What news of the Ministry?"

The man replied, "Things are seemingly getting to the turning point. I've kept you apprised of the Muggles and their desire to know about us. The use of _Obliviates _has risen twofold. Too much according to some louts. I heard as I was walking to a meeting that they were going to spring Shacklebolt out of Azkaban and install him as Minister through a willing Wizengamot, convened only from certain members of the Light and Dark that are afraid of the new direction. It would seem that in their views, Light and Dark should never meet."

"I was also about to contact you. They have planned to abduct your mother. She will be held as a bargaining chip and to ensure your behavior. They still yearn after the Malfoy riches. I was able to rescue an interesting notebook and found out that she is held very near Hogwarts, where "_he can hardly expect to look_" as they gloat.

"Interestingly, I took some looks at a schedule and found that Dementors and Lethifolds have been detected not far from here, and no one knows where they are at present. There might be a storm coming, Draco."

Draco said, "Function as a Muggle for us, Weasley, and try to detect any means to spy on us. I caught three tape recorders, but there might be more."

Weasley took down his cowl revealing the red hair of the Weasleys, framing the face of Percy Weasley.

Percy was the son of Muggle-obsessed Arthur Weasley. Unlike his brothers, he tried to understand the haphazard explanations regarding electrical devices. Later he'd learned that much of the information was false, but his abiding interest in them remained.

Percy and Draco had bonded somewhat over electrical devices and how to care for them.

Percy thought hard and cast three different spells with his wand. With the third one, a small golden sphere rose in the air slowly. After examining it carefully, Percy explained, "This is like a tape recorder. It stores all the information and sends it electronically, the pulse lasts only milliseconds. It had a subtle mimetic charm which I took off."

Draco found out that the device originated with Harper Finch-Fletchley. Then he asked Percy to wipe out all the information in the tape recorders.

Draco commented icily, "It is a dastardly, malign plot. They want us to turn on Harry, hurt him or kill him, so we end up alone and dependent on their good graces to get Mother back! To collect information, they prostitute their children to become our friends, and the little traitors betray us. They know better than to use magical devices, so they use Muggle ones. Every day I sweep the room for such things, the Muggle ones pass muster, because their use is so outlandish to a wizard."

"There's also the important matter that this appears to have gone on for some period of time. They smuggled such things into Hogwarts. You may ask yourselves, why is that important? Simple, because Hogwarts supposedly is under the _Fidelius _charm. No stranger can even _find_ the place, yet it is crammed with new devices, and people who meant us harm entered."

Severus scowled, and Draco clarified, "I'm not belittling your wards. I'm sure they are superb, but Dumbledore was a Headmaster for many years, with power over the wards, surely he manipulated them to follow his wishes, as he did everything else."

Next Draco faced Percy, "I thank you formally and I want you to know that your help has defied my expectations. I've found in you something of a kindred spirit, someone ill-judged by the world."

"I hereby declare ended the feud between Malfoys and Weasleys."

Percy asked somewhat shyly, "What about George? He's still in Azkaban."

Draco replied, "I think he could come back with the proviso that he will not create potions, in fact you can order him to come back! The Ministry needs a strong hand, someone judicious, studious, inflexible but sometimes kind. The Government needs someone like you at the helm. I'm proposing you to become the Minister of Magic. I also want the Chief Warlock to be Lucius Malfoy."

"Don't you see it? This can be our thread to lead us out of the current impasse. So the gits think mixing Dark and Light is bad, well fuck them! Let's really mix it with a Minister that comes from the most eminent Light pureblood family and has a proven track record at the Ministry, and the Chief Warlock is a member of the dark Malfoys. They will work together, and that will hurt them more than _Cruciatus._ For too many years the Chief Warlock did nothing, because Albus Dumbledore didn't think his job was sophisticated, light enough."

"But let's get to the nitty-gritty, Percy. Did you bring what I asked you to?"

Percy replied, "Yes, though it was hard to get it, and I can't think what you plan to do with this. All I know is that Dad would surely love to see it."

Percy took out some objects from his pocket and used his wand to enlarge them. A big, heavy looking rifle appeared, and goggles. He said, "This rifle can be used to hunt elephants, Draco. The goggles are infrared. You will be able to see in the dark."

Daphne, Andromeda and Severus looked worried, so Draco tried to let them know what he knew, what he suspected.

"Hogwarts has been infiltrated. People are accessing it from somewhere, effectively bypassing the _Fidelius_. I remember one morning in Fourth year as I was walking to History of Magic, I overheard Potter talking to Weasley about the fact that their Marauder's Map, which apparently shows anyone in Hogwarts, might not work for the Chamber of Secrets. Hogwarts is built above the Chamber. If you gained entrance to it, all you'd have to do is use the exits and climb into the school proper."

"Myrtle has tried to talk to me, I think she has been privy to some unusual scenes in her bathroom. The spell I used on Griff indicated that Harry was below us, in a location unknown. This suggests that that place is under strong, ancient wards that keep it secret. We're in the dungeons, there's no below us, unless it is the Chamber."

"We face an enemy that is extremely cunning, resourceful and knowledgeable. They take on the awesome features of a monster. I have no doubt that we will face the might of a Basilisk, and Fawkes won't appear and saves us."

"We must proceed at once, and it is better to let the enemy suppose they've succeeded, therefore my display of temper."

"Andromeda, you must remain behind and care for Antares. Daphne and Severus, follow me!"

tbc


	23. The importance of parseltongue

Percy said good-bye, pushed up his cowl and left, watching Griff wearily, as if expecting the excitable griffin to bite him.

Draco led the way, having shrunk the rifle and goggles and taken his endless bag. They passed the alcove in which Goyle and Blaise waited for them with the three spies. Draco took up guiding them and thanked the Slytherins.

As they made their way to Myrtle's bathroom, Severus commented wearily, "Dumbledore told me that the only way to enter the Chamber is if you are a parselmouth. Are you one, Draco?"

Draco sighed, "Unfortunately, no. However, I remember distinctly when Weasley asked Harry about some common phrases in parseltongue, including _Open up_. I can mimic the sound and we'll gain entrance. There's a way to circumvent any secret."

They got to the bathroom. Draco told them to wait outside and he entered it.

He called for Myrtle. She refused to show up at first, and then she appeared. Draco excused himself for not visiting her more often. He'd been there 5 times this year. He asked her to tell him how to enter the Chamber of Secrets.

Myrtle demurred. She said, "I don't know if I should tell you, Draco! You will likely get killed, and your beauty will fade. Even if you decide to remain in this plane you will haunt a different place. You're among the few persons who have taken me seriously in all the years I have been in this place, in the flesh and in the spirit. I don't want to lose you!"

Draco replied, "I need to know, Myrtle. They've got my mother hostage. She is expecting a child. Would you entertain losing her and the child? I cannot bear it, I must handle this. They dare to goad me into taking an incorrect action. I will prove them wrong. Please Myrtle, you've been at times the only sentient being that supports me wholeheartedly!"

So Myrtle told him. Draco approached the correct sink, followed the procedure and added the hissing sounds that he had heard that day long ago.

The Chamber was opened. Myrtle disconsolately sank to the floor and vanished.

Draco opened the door and invited Severus and Daphne. He then proceeded to unfreeze the third years. He prodded them and ordered them to go into the Chamber of Secrets, where a Basilisk had its lair. The students wet themselves and screamed to be set free.

Draco thundered, "You will not go off scot free! You are traitors, you will suffer the fate of traitors. If you refuse I will _Crucio _you until you lose your mind. Now go." He cursed Harper, and they realized he meant business.

Just as the first one was to descend to the Chamber, Draco added, "Stop! You will need this." He gave them mirrors. "Remember that if the Basilisk looks at you directly, you will die, if you look at it in the mirror, you will survive."

The students left. Afterwards, Severus commented gleefully, "You might have told them that they would survive _petrified."_

Draco replied, "They need something to remind them that what they did was awful, also the families will consider twice the course they stupidly follow."

They waited one and a half hours after the spies had gone down, and then they themselves descended. Draco made them wait in the ramp where the rat bones were, muttering to himself about the fashion crime done to his clothes today.

Walking around for a while, they found the three students. At least they had been smart and used the mirrors. They were all petrified. Draco put them together and hit them with a portkey that would take them to the Infirmary.

Draco took out the rifle and the goggles and prepared to use them when Severus advised, "Why don't you try to see if they work?"

Draco saw no point, but it was a logical suggestion. He tried to shoot something with the rifle, but it wouldn't work. He created a small zone of darkness, and the Infrared goggles didn't work.

Draco asked warily, "Why does it not work?"

Severus answered contemplatively, "As Head of Slytherin, I was privy to many detailed information concerning the Founder. It was rumored that Salazar was so intent in preserving blood purity that he seriously considered casting a charm on Hogwarts making it impossible for Muggle devices to work at all. Evidently such charm was not cast on the school, but it surely was on Salazar's pet project, the Chamber of Secrets."

Draco sighed gustily, "OK, time for back-up plan number 2."

"And that is?"

Draco replied urbanely, "My Hand of God and the trusty Malfoy sword. After Lucius did not prove amenable to getting it for me, I decided to have one someday anyway. It will give light that only I can see. The basilisk won't be able to see me. For the death or petrification to happen, there should be sight on the two parts."

Draco, swishing his wand with verve, intoned, "_Nox Majoris!"_ Immediately all light departed from the Chamber of Secrets. Draco held aloft his Hand of God and it shined bright and clear for him. Draco made his sure way into the Chamber. When he got in front of Slytherin's statue he hissed in parseltongue what he remembered Harry said was an order to open.

The door opened, Draco entered and beheld the outline of an immense beast, a beast of mystery, grandeur and pain. The Basilisk heard him and Draco hissed at it what were greetings and commands. The beast didn't prove amenable at all, and instead lunged at the position it sensed Draco occupied, pausing for a few seconds as it wondered why he didn't fall down dead.

The basilisk pounced on Draco. He cast a _Protego_ shield and lunged forward with the Malfoy sword, a weapon made in Seville from silver and platinum bands that came from an asteroid. Draco was studiously careful to avoid looking in the direction of the Basilisk's eyes.

Draco let the basilisk grow closer, and he moved toward its head. When the beast realized that, it tried to rear up and crush him, Draco attacked with the sword and directed it toward the throat. He sliced it open, and there was a torrent of blood flowing down to Draco's robes. He cast an _Evanesco_ on the blood and slowly made his way to the door, after picking up the Hand of God which had fallen during the struggle.

The basilisk hissed some more, and then died.

Draco stopped the _Nox_ spell and light returned to the Chamber. Before he rejoined Severus and Daphne, he wanted to try and open a strangely carved door.

He managed to open the door, and as he walked in, he felt smothered by a cold cloak-like being. He found out he couldn't breathe. He knew then that he was suffering the unduly attention of a Lethifold. The cloak-like creatures liked to asphyxiate their victims and eat them; they were impervious to magic, except the Patronus charm. Unfortunately for Draco, he couldn't muster memories happy enough to power the charm, so he was basically defenseless. Dimly he wondered how they'd got the Lethifold to come here, given its preference for tropical climates.

The Lethifold continued smothering him until Draco was on the edge of losing consciousness, when he heard three distinct voices saying "_Expecto patronum!"_ After some tussle he was able to see three silver shapes biting and destroying the Lethifold that had attacked him and several others crouching nearby.

He beheld a very fluffy-looking doe, a sly-seeming fox and a proud, smirking lion.

A voice Draco seemed to recall hearing before commented sarcastically, "What's with you, Draco? Going off to the Chamber! You could have told us." The voice now seemed to think that a rant was in order, "Fortunately for you, Moaning Myrtle was so worried about you that she showed up in our common room, startling us when she coalesced from the floor. She was moaning about the many stairs, as if she had any need of them! She explained that you were going to the Chamber; she was worried you would get killed. She moaned so much that Neville and I just had to come here and help."

Draco asked intrigued, "How did you get in?"

The voice replied coolly, "I know this Chamber, I've relived my memories here many times in my nightmares. People often overlook that not only Harry and Voldemort have spoken parseltongue here, I have done that too. When Voldemort possessed me, he spoke many useful phrases in parseltongue. Eventually I learned it from him, even when the connection was severed."

Draco observed carefully this time, and recognized Ginny Weasley, clutching the arm of Neville Longbottom. He considered that the fox was Weasley's patronus, the lion obviously Neville's and the doe was Severus's? He inwardly chortled and gloated at the blackmail possibilities opening up, until he remembered the missing family.

Draco stood up and carefully dusted off his robes. He asked Ginny, "Where would you put prisoners?"

Ginny replied succinctly, "Follow me." As she and Neville took the lead, they traversed a narrow corridor. They were ambushed there by apparently a dozen wizards. Ginny fought valiantly, and when she appeared to be badly outnumbered, Neville and Draco defended her from the coming hexes, any one of which could have killed her. Neville was outraged to discover that many of their enemies were members of the Order, fighting alongside former Death Eaters! As befitted his Patronus, Neville fought like a lion and was quickly avoided by the combatants.

The seemingly frail Daphne was a tough nut to crack. She used the perceptions about her to lure the enemy into a sense of security, which often was rudely interrupted by a painful hex.

Severus fought like a demon. The Headmaster was magnificent. He did not transfigure objects to daintily hold back the curses, displaying so his followers could comprehend how powerful he was.

Severus simply hexed, efficiently culling his enemies.

When they had finished, Draco put all prisoners together, removed and broke their wands, and took out a portkey that would take them to the Malfoy Manor dungeons. He asked for Silgy, one of his House Elves, and gave instructions for the caring of the miscreants, including the wards to use in their doors.

Daphne examined the group, and healed their cuts and bruises. She had always wanted to be a Healer. She had a touch that could calm the more nervous patient.

Eventually Ginny took the lead again, closely accompanied by a nervous Neville. They arrived to a door and it hissed at them, Ginny hissed back and the door appeared to ponder the sounds. However, it didn't open. Ginny hissed some more but the door didn't budge.

Draco had it up to here with this weird place and its fixation on parseltongue. He walked up to the door and said in stentorian tones, "I am sick and tired of this place requesting that one speak parseltongue! I am the Slytherin Prince, the quintessential Slytherin. I have no need to be a descendant of Salazar in order to guide the House to more glory. Blood descent is overrated anyway. I will prove these truths by getting my way, the Slytherin way."

Draco took out the Elder wand and pointed it at the door. "If I were a Gryffindor I would fire the most powerful spell I know at the door, typically thoughtless, undoubtedly it wouldn't work. If I were a Hufflepuff I would dally and confer with my comrades, sure in their faith and company. While this is pleasing, it would do nothing towards rescuing my family."

"If I were a Ravenclaw I would research the Chamber's story and learn all I could about it. Again, this would be nice but it would take up too much of my time, and time is of the essence here."

"So I do it the Slytherin way, Door. If this place does not respond to me like it should and helps me to rescue my family, I swear to you on my word as Lord Malfoy that in less than one month Slytherin House will cease to exist!" The magic briefly pulsed as it took notice of the Oath.

The door and the magic governing the Chamber were in a quandary. On the one side, Salazar had left strict instructions about who was allowed to enter, what they had to do or wear in order to do so. These instructions were the Chamber's reason for existing, to preserve Salazar's ideals.

Yet there was one quality that Salazar Slytherin appreciated the most: survival. He would want his House to continue existing. The magic felt that the wizard making the Oath, though powerful, was not as powerful and trained as Salazar had been, but it sensed that Draco indeed had the power to close Slytherin. In a way, he used this power to threaten the place into doing his bidding, playing to his strength and disregarding thoughts of pity. It was truly a Slytherin plan.

Salazar would have been proud of this boy. With that, the magic of the place made its decision.

The door opened.

Ginny turned around and stuttered, "But, the d-door said that…"

Draco sauntered up to the room and said nonchalantly, "Nothing that the judicious use of extinction cannot cure." He entered and used his wand to light up the sconces. He found a small bed and Narcissa was on it, apparently she had been dosed with a sleeping potion. He noticed her bracelet, and he was worried to see that the Protection Charm would stop acting any minute now. He called on a House Elf to transport her to his room and be reunited with Andromeda. He dared not use a portkey to transport his pregnant mother.

He went to the room next door and said "_Open up_!" The door opened instantly.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry had been left in this strange room for some hours. He couldn't pinpoint the moment when they captured him, maybe they used _Confundus _on him.  
Yes, he should have been vigilant. It was his fault that he had been captured, like the deaths of Sirius and Cedric were his fault. He was a freak, like his uncle said.  
_You're laying it a bit too thick, don't you think?_ This mental voice sounded somewhat sarcastic and snide, like Draco.  
No, I am guilty of jumping into danger. I should have listened to Hermione's advice, she was always right.  
_Even in the end, when she ordered the Dementor to attack Draco?_ _I understand your penchant for forgiving, but sometimes it seems too much._ This voice held the wry humor of Daphne.  
You were always jumping into danger. The only reasons you survived to defeat Voldemort were the planning and care of Dumbledore and Hermione.  
_I've had it!_ Mused angrily the Draco voice. _Use Occlumency, you twit!_

Then Harry understood that he was under mental attack and the nagging voice was the attacker, and Draco's and Daphne's voices probably came from the bracelet. He hastily erected strong Occlumency shields and withstood the treacherous attempt to subvert his thoughts.

Presently the door opened and Harry Potter came in. Harry was astonished at this double of himself. Potter walked in and spoke to Harry, "I've set up things in such a way that they will all hate you. It seems as if you betrayed them most foully, especially Draco. In fact, the conversation you had was interspersed with tidbits that only you could know. For them you are dead, and I wouldn't be surprised if they kill you themselves. Afterwards, Draco mumbled something about betrayal being love's escape clause, and he was crashing things in his room."

"You would do well to consider new allies." Then Potter took out his wand and lazily sent a _Crucio_ Harry's way. Harry had lived under a Protection Charm most of his life, being again under another, he knew exactly how to take advantage of it. He moved to the side and let the curse hit the bed, and pretended to writhe in pain. Potter smirked maliciously, the only un-Harry gesture he'd made. Harry was astounded at the degree of realism brought to bear on this characterization. He felt hope plummet as he imagined Draco and Daphne watching Pensieve memories of this Harry. They would be taken in by the masquerade.

The stranger knew intimately Harry's gestures and body language, they also knew how to penetrate his mind and try to flood it with guilt. All things pointed toward one person, but that would require a Dark ritual, loathsome to the dainty warriors of the Light.

Deciding to be adventurous, Harry asked, "Who did you murder, Hermione?"

Potter trembled, he said, "What do you mean? How did you find out?"

Harry replied, "Only you could know me enough to pose as me so effortlessly. Only you knew how to enter my mind. What I'm wondering is who did you murder to make your Horcrux?"

Hermione replied, "It was Tonks. Before the battle she came upon me and wanted to go visit with you and then take her baby boy home. I could not let that happen. According to Dumbledore, she had a role to play. The role of abnegated wife who goes off to war to die, leaving a delicate orphan boy to be raised perfectly in rigor and hardship."

"Albus had provided the continuation of your work, Harry! Teddy would grow up just like you and he would become a second Boy Who Lived, a hero. But this required Tonks to die; since she selfishly refused to do so, I did take her life. It was painless and the Horcrux was made. Before the killing though, I took from her something she had no further need of, I took her blood, the magic that let her be a Metamorphmagus and incorporated it to me."

Potter's face suddenly shifted and became that of Hermione. She smiled and said cockily, "So you see Harry, I offer the most advantageous place. Together we will rule the Wizarding world."

Before she could add more, they were plunged into complete darkness. Hermione muttered under her breath: _Lumos!_ But the spell didn't work. She continued muttering about malign Malfoys. Harry felt that maybe Draco was looking for him. Whether to rescue or crucify him, he didn't know.

The darkness lasted for fifteen minutes, and then it was lifted. Hermione had kept muttering about basilisks and lethifolds, so Harry had a foreboding feeling about Draco and whoever else had come. Things seemed to indicate that they were in the Chamber of Secrets, but there was one thing Harry didn't understand.

He asked Hermione, who had morphed back into Potter, "How did you enter here? You can't speak parseltongue!"

Potter replied, "That's true. Salazar decreed that only his descendants would enter here, or the person would have to wear his ring." Potter proudly showed Harry the magnificent silver and green Slytherin ring, Potter continued, "Wearing this ring, I'm recognized as Salazar's heir and can speak parseltongue enough to navigate here. How do you think Dumbledore reconnoitered the Chamber?"

"The place's magic has let me know that Malfoy is here. He will rescue his mother, who apparently was kidnapped by you Harry! Such shame! He's coming here, too. He will be interested to see you. Good-bye!"

Potter went to the door and hissed at it so it would open, however it remained closed. After trying to open it unsuccessfully for several minutes, casting spells at it, Potter finally conceded defeat to the impervious entrance and said to Harry, "We will wait together for him. When he enters he will be confused by the two of us, and that will give me a small window of opportunity to kill him. What does it feel to be the cause of someone's death again, Harry?"

Harry felt despair, because he sensed the Protection Charm had finally stopped functioning.

The door opened.

tbc


	24. King's Cross

Harry felt trapped. He didn't know how Draco would react, and he knew that Hermione was indeed a psychotic bitch intent on killing. He didn't have any wand, and the Protection Charm which could guarantee his life had just become inactive.

So as he saw the mop of blond hair come closer, he did what he thought would be unexpected, he jumped Potter and started hitting him, landing good punches at the face and chest. He even managed to break his nose. Funny that both Harry and Draco could now boast of having broken Potter's nose! That reminded him that the person who'd cast _Episkey _on Harry to heal him was Tonks.

Harry punched Potter hard for that one, while Potter tried ineffectually to defend himself.

Draco walked in, expecting to see maybe one Harry, or perhaps two of them. Instead he entered to watch the battle of the Harry Potters. He could see that one Harry was delivering efficient, hard punches and the other indeed fought like a girl. He ordered the Chamber, "Protect the real Harry Potter!"

Potter made an effort and pushed Harry far away. As Harry was falling down near the wall, Potter took out his wand and pointing it toward Harry said, "_Sectumsempra!"_ The curse was partly deflected by the magic of the place, but a part still landed on his chest. Draco's _Protego_ shield arrived too late.

Harry fell to the floor, he lost quite a bit of blood before Daphne got near enough to heal him. He lost consciousness.

Harry woke up and realized he was no longer in the Chamber of Secrets. He looked around and recognized King's Cross, the train station. He remembered the vision he had of Dumbledore here. He looked at a figure wearing a mauve and silver robe and recognized Dumbledore. Albus said, "Hello, Harry. I'm sorry you have fallen out of favor with your friends. I'm sorry to say many good plans have come to a standstill because of Mr. Malfoy. Still, it would be a pity to lose him, wouldn't it? It would be wonderful to have the strength needed to truly protect him. To have the means to beat the odds, time and again, to never know defeat."

"I can offer you that, Harry. You can still be the heir of Gryffindor, and the Protection Charm will protect you and those you care about."

Harry asked, "But won't that impinge on the free will of the world?"

Dumbledore answered seriously, "It might do so, a little bit. Eventually the world will become a unified place, under the guidance of a ruler inspired by the bravery and courage of Gryffindor House. Dark magic will be truly contained where it belongs, and all sentient beings will be able to live in harmony. I know Miss Granger may have done unsavory things, but she is a Gryffindor at heart and can be easily redeemed."

Harry replied forthrightly, "I don't want your ritual."

Dumbledore countered angrily, "Then you force me to do this! This ritual can be done through several years, requiring only symbolic steps which you may not have realized you already performed. You were bitten by a basilisk, cut with a knife of deceit, sustained the Golden Snitch of peace and most importantly, held the Deathly Hallows. Each of these had intrinsic value, together they weave the ritual I will now perform on you."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Potter was harshly bitchslapped by an enraged Draco Malfoy. "The magic of the Chamber tells me we are losing Harry, bitch! He's being taken to a place far away, mentally. I suspect the crazy old coot. I also think that you fight like a girl, and you can only be the redoubtable and efficient Chipmunk Granger! You think you're so clever, but I will use you."

"You have the capacity to reach Harry in a way I cannot, you can insinuate yourself into his thoughts. You will do so forthwith and will disrupt whatever Dumbledore has planned. If you don't, then I will turn you into a basilisk and you will remain in the Chamber forever. So that you know I can, let me show it."

Draco passed the wand over one of Potter's hands and it turned into a reptilian claw. Hermione tried to morph it back but she couldn't. Obviously Draco could do what he had threatened.

Draco continued, "I know you are a Metamorphmagus, Granger. Living near one has heightened my awareness of them, and that makes me wonder how you could turn out to be so. But first things first, go to Harry!"

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry despaired, Dumbledore had started chanting and he felt the power beginning to coil and ready itself to be transferred to him. To Harry, it seemed as if all his struggles, his fights had been for naught. Draco's valiant attempt to disarm the Protection Charm would go to waste. He appreciated some security, but he could discern that what Dumbledore wanted was ultimately the complete control of the world.

Harry wondered how Dumbledore would benefit from this, and whether he would appear in the future in the flesh thanks to some providential Horcrux. Harry also asked himself why Dumbledore seemed so worried to prevent Draco from having the shame of killing him. Maybe he didn't care so much about Draco's soul purity as much as denying him the chance to make his own Horcrux.

Harry was stymied; because the previous symbolic steps had been taken willingly by him, he was forced to stay and witness how Dumbledore's crazy plan came to fruition.

The chants grew in volume, when he felt a mental itch that grew into a nagging feeling of inadequacy.  
_You have to fight back, Harry! Do it for me!  
_Do it for whom?  
_I don't want to be a basilisk!  
_What do you mean?  
_What's happening with Dumbledore?  
_He's chanting.  
_You have to get out of there before he finishes the chant. It can only succeed if you are in the Chamber. To get free you could imagine yourself in Hogwarts or with your friends. Do it with enough attention to detail, and the trance state of Dumbledore's world will collapse.  
Hurry!_

To escape, Harry visualized Daphne's birthday, her face when she opened the presents. Draco putting the silver bracelet on him, talking with Daphne's parents, dancing and suffering Daphne's thwacks. Presently King's Cross disappeared, and Harry was briefly in no man's land.

Soon enough, however, Harry woke up, in fact he was forced to be awake by two thwacks from left and right. Opening his eyes he saw the rest of the Silver trio looking worried. Any concern that Harry might have felt disappeared when he looked into their eyes, the passionate green eyes of Daphne and the stormy grey eyes of Draco.

A nagging voice said, "I brought him back, change back my hand!"

Draco was in a good mood, so he passed the wand over the claw and turned it back to a hand.

He mock-frowned at Harry and said, "Whatever will we do with you, Harry? I know: _Mobilicorpus!"_ He guided a spluttering Harry out of the room. When everybody left the area, he said motioning to Hermione, "Keep this prisoner inside. They will not leave or communicate with anybody."

Harry saw an amused-looking Ginny, a confident Neville and a smirking Snape.

Draco announced, "Before we're finished with our business at the Chamber, we still have to make it secure. There were many rogue Phoenixes and Death Eaters that were here, and probably many more know their way in. This will remain an Achilles' heel for Hogwarts unless it is neutralized. I want to do a _Fidelius_ charm, applying it to the Chamber. For the Secret Keeper I have the perfect person who will look over the Chamber for many years."

Draco called for Myrtle. After some minutes, the ghost appeared walking through the wall. Once Draco explained the duties of a Secret Keeper, Myrtle was unsure whether she was good enough. She had been killed when she was an adolescent, and she retained forever some of the qualities of that age group. Finally Draco convinced her with the argument that she already took care of Chamber business. She would now have some official capacity regarding that.

Draco performed the _Fidelius_, and Myrtle was chosen as Secret-Keeper. They felt the wash of magical energy as it enveloped the Chamber and battled the old wards set by the former Headmaster.

As they were ready to leave, Myrtle floated next to Draco and whispered in his ear, "_The Chamber of Secrets may be found below Hogwarts."_

Finally they left for the night Ginny and Neville wanted to say hi to Andromeda and Antares, but they looked knackered and left without entering, promising a visit later. Severus went to visit Narcissa, who had been taken to Malfoy Manor by Andromeda.

So the Silver trio was left alone. They spoke about the ordeal, Draco's process of deductions and Daphne's simple answers, the fight in the Chamber, Dumbledore's sneak attempt to force the Protection Charm. They sometimes threatened to break down, but the others were there to help.

Eventually they fell asleep, cuddling each other. Draco transfigured the bed into something bigger so they could be comfortable, and Harry felt he was in an enviable position: he had a sandwich of blonds, in which he was the meat.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The next day, after waking up a grumpy Harry and Daphne, taking care to evade her clumsy morning attempts to thwack him, Draco had a hearty breakfast.

Draco was treated to stereoscopic visions of green eyes, both sets stormy. He offered coffee as an offering and they ate the meal with gusto.

Afterwards they discussed what they would do with Granger. Draco was of the opinion that it would be extremely dangerous to kill her. She probably had more Horcruxes and would be brought back easily. It would be so much better if she remained where she was. Her power could be chained, a source of food provided and she could stay there for years. Perhaps she would change her mind, perhaps she wouldn't, but if she remained alone in the Chamber, she would not have the means to kill them.

Daphne concurred, and Harry was unable to put any major objection. He felt that Hermione deserved to suffer, after killing Tonks and robbing her power.

They went to Myrtle's bathroom. At first she didn't want to reveal where the Chamber was to Harry and Daphne, until Draco gently coaxed her.

Finally, Draco went to the sink, and said: _Open up!_ The entrance was opened and Harry was astounded. He said, "That wasn't parseltongue and yet it worked!"

Draco replied smugly, "I had a bit of a discussion with a recalcitrant door and threatened the Chamber to obey me or I would destroy Slytherin House!"

Harry was flabbergasted, "You, destroy Slytherin? But you're the poster boy for them!"

Draco answered, "I may be, and I enjoy being there immensely, but I love my family more. Nothing can be more valuable than my family!"

They reached the prisoner's room and entered. Potter looked calmly at them. Draco said, "I suggest that you morph to your natural form, Granger, unless you want to look like this forever."

Potter looked nervous and his visage transformed into the face of Hermione Granger.

Draco took out the Elder wand and pointing it towards Hermione, he swished it elegantly and muttered, "_Catenas 90_." The spell acted, binding 90 per cent of Granger's powers.

Draco commented, "Your powers are bound. The Chamber keeps a watch on you. You will not leave this Chamber for many years. You will not be allowed to die because you might have another Horcrux ready to be used. This place is now under a _Fidelius_ charm with a most unlikely Secret Keeper. Your friends cannot find you here."

Then he called his House Elf Stidgit, who appeared with a crack. Draco instructed the elf to bring meals daily to a specific warded room in the Chamber.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Eventually Draco started to write a lengthy letter to the _Daily Prophet_, preparing his revenge. He sent the missive with his Eagle owl Barnabas.

Two days later they were having breakfast when Harry appeared, short of breath after having apparently run from their rooms. Harry asked, "Is it true?"

Draco replied dispassionately, "What is true?"

Harry countered, "That you want Percy to be Minister and Lucius to be the Chief Warlock."

Draco replied a little edgily, "I think Percy would make a perfect Minister. He has worked long years in the Ministry. To the light purists, he comes from good stock. Shacklebolt cannot do anything against it, as you would know. Lucius is perfect for the Chief Warlock post. He will provide entrée for the purebloods, he'll generate enthusiasm for the government. He's bound to obey me, and I could control him."

Harry asked, "Who controls you? How can you accept that such a Death Eater can be such an influential person in the government? After what Lucius has done, it's a wonder that his redemption is accepted so easily."

Draco answered angrily, "Who controls me? I do, my motivations, conscience, power, whatever you want to call it, control me, just like they do in your case, or Granger's or Dumbledore's. It really pains me to see, Harry, that you, who enjoy redemption so much, would deny other people their own." Draco was seething, and Daphne realized that she ought to distract the Seekers.

She asked, "How is Narcissa, Draco?"

Draco replied, "She appears to be fine. They tried to hex her repeatedly, but the Protection Charm worked. She has given me their names and I have taken appropriate revenge. And Harry, please stop worrying, I didn't kill them… much. I wish you'd look for an instant away from your black and white world into the real, gray one. But we must agree to disagree for the present."

Daphne commented mystified, "I had the strangest feeling in the Chamber, at one point, the spell which tells me how long until Scorpius' conception went haywire, at first it was 7 years, then 12 and later 34 years. Actually that alerted me that Draco might be in danger. Then Ginny appeared out of nowhere and when we looked in that room, we saw Draco being covered by that disgusting cloak."

Harry asked timidly, "So you never doubted me?"

Draco answered softly, "After I saw the memory, I knew it wasn't you. Still, you and Mother were in the hands of unknown parties intent on discrediting you. I played the part of enraged lover, hoping to buy you some time."

tbc


	25. Justinian

Things went back to normal at Hogwarts, at least as normal as it could get.

Draco decided to punish the Ministry employees who participated in the Chipmunk's scheme by exile from the Wizarding world. There were several of them who were stripped of their magic – the ones who tried to hex Narcissa.

He launched an intense campaign through the _Prophet_ to install Percy as Minister. Shacklebolt was given the option of exile or a complete _Obliviate_. He chose exile.

As always, Draco continued to nurture some ties with the Muggle fringe groups. He felt the need to keep abreast of their plans and concerns, help them where he could and prevent their doing mayhem.

He carefully presented the facts so the public had to come to the painful realization - for some of them - that their beloved Light idols had behaved abominably and tried to destroy a family. To do that and achieve their means they had foresworn any ethics they may still harbor. This was the kind of people that wanted to forcibly stop a branch of magic. They didn't care that the magic was needed for the correct balance of the whole, they cared that they were unable to do it. They were envious of the wielders of such magics and wanted to stop them.

All in all Draco was proud of his work, which maybe led to his being slightly less aware than usual. He was on his way to the Dungeons, after watching Harry and Daphne head outside to Care of Magical Creatures. As he walked in the corridor, he noticed the strange position of a coat of arms, the portrait showing an unlikely inclination, the chair slightly misplaced. This was a message in the Malfoy code, and Draco followed its directions. He approached the armor and took position slightly behind it. He prepared for what he was sure must follow.

Sure enough, three _Stupefy!_ spells were launched at him. There was no way he could have defended against the three simultaneously. Four figures approached and Draco recognized Justin Finch-Fletchley, Padma and Parvati Patil and Zacharias Smith. Smith called, "_Accio_ Malfoy's wand!" And the Elder wand flew to the git.

Justin approached Draco and hit him hard. He said sneering, "You were the reason our brothers and sisters were petrified! They were innocent third years, not doing anything, and you dragged them to the Chamber of Secrets, to be the bait of that monster! They will be petrified for a month! This is unbearable."

Justin took out a knife, and gloated, "It is necessary for you to know who your betters are. I will mark that beautiful face with this cursed knife, with something so much more visible than the elusive Dark Mark. This you won't be able to hide and everyone will know how ugly you are inside and out."

Draco looked at them, they were all sneering and gloating, sure that they would get away with it. He moved minutely his hand and contacted the armor, and there, safely tucked away, was the Elder wand, as he knew it would be. He soundlessly murmured "_Finite incantatem_," the spell was lifted and before the outraged kin could know what hit them, he had immobilized and _silencio'd _them. He _accio'd_ his wand back.

Draco took the knife from Justin's fingers and said condescendingly, "You know nothing about revenge, Mudblood! You cower behind the more powerful ones, you strike only when you're safe in numbers. You are a rat."

"But you had a good idea, and in commemoration, I will mark you. If the knife is cursed, the scars won't be removable. Time we found out about that, right?"

Draco proceeded to cut Justin's cheeks, he made two deep incisions forming a cross. He continued with the Patils and Smith.

Afterward, Draco cast a Glamour charm, he took out his Time-turner and set it to go back 45 minutes. When he got to the past he arranged the chair, the portrait and the armor to spell in the Malfoy code, "_Attack soon, refuge here."_ Then he took the Elder wand and carefully put it where he would be able to reach it easily. Lastly, he returned to his personal present and later cancelled the Glamour.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco was back in his rooms, preparing the potions exams, when a thoroughly enraged Harry entered.

Harry started angrily, "Is it true that you marked and scarred Justin, Padma and Parvati and Zacharias? Isn't your thirst for revenge ever sated? Don't you think about the consequences, what people will think, what I will think?"

Draco asked seemingly nonchalantly, "Unlike you, I don't care what people will think. They will follow their prejudices, sure as rain, and they will call them truths. What do you think?"

Harry replied, "You sometimes go out of control Draco, and do outrageous things. I don't know if I can keep condoning your activities. You wield Dark magic like it was a gift from above, and all should be privileged to suffer your hexes."

Draco replied angrily, "You are so worried about your little friends, you never even were concerned about what they might have done to me! In your mind, I'm so steeped in Dark magic I must appear unredeemable. You surely think the knife is mine, a relic of the evil Malfoys?"

Harry foolishly nodded, indicating his consent.

Unfortunately Daphne wasn't there to distract them. Draco continued, seething, "I will let the Board of Governors see the content of my memory, so they can understand why I did what I did. They will come to the conclusion that I was in the right."

"However, this just highlights your poor opinion of me. If I am so Dark that you despair of reaching me, then perhaps this relationship isn't working at all."

"I've come to the conclusion that we likely need some time apart, time without seeing each other." Draco called on Stidgit, and told him to gather all of Harry's things and take them to his next quarters.

Draco continued icily, "You can stay in Slytherin or go back to Gryffindor. I don't care anymore."

He left for the library. Harry was left reeling, very near tears.

Soon he grew aware of the presence of the elf. He miserably wondered where he could reside. He thought of remaining in Slytherin, and being in the rooms and catching glimpses of Draco from afar. He didn't want to hurt so much, so he chose Gryffindor. He told so to the elf, and his things were taken to the Tower.

At that moment Daphne made it to the room, she had a disheveled appearance, as if she had been running to get there. She noticed the missing things and asked, "What happened?"

Harry replied, "Draco and I had a fight. He said that we should separate for a time, and he threw me out!"

Daphne asked calmly, "What was the fight about?"

Harry replied wearily, "It was about Draco scarring Justin and the others. I just don't think it's fair that…"

Daphne interrupted imperiously, "Knowing you, you probably burst in here accusing Draco of nefarious deeds, without listening to his side of the story first."

"I couldn't come here because I had some business at the Infirmary, like slipping _Veritaserum_ to four disgruntled students just before they met a session of the Board of Governors." Daphne smirked and gloated like a consummate Slytherin, before moving on, "Your four oh so innocent friends ambushed Draco, they _accio'd_ his wand away and were about to mark him with a cursed knife belonging to Justinian Flinchy-Flenchy or whatever his name is, which I'm sure etymologically denotes noble and valuable things. Too bad he didn't live up to the name. They almost won, too, but Draco managed to surprise them and he was the one to mark them."

"What would you have done if they had succeeded, Harry? Sure, you would have mustered some indignation, but after all, they are members of the Light, and as such can do no wrong in your eyes. When they do, it's easily dismissed. Just like it was 20 years ago when your Sirius Black cowardly plotted the death of Severus Snape by werewolf attack. Of course Dumbledore knew the truth and didn't do anything, no punishment was enacted. Slytherin took notice that their rights were nonexistent and it caused a rush to join Voldemort's side."

"When you heard about this episode, you immediately jumped to the conclusion that Draco was completely guilty. It confirmed your fears about him. You didn't wait to hear his version, you jumped into the web of arrogant prejudices that sustains your house."

"Frankly, I agree with Draco completely. A relationship cannot be built where one side forever mistrusts the other. Where Draco goes, I will always follow."

"A final word of advice: if you want to do something, do it soon. Graduation approaches and Draco and I have already made plans to take a year-long trip to America and South America."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry returned to the Gryffindor dormitories. He struggled to rebuild relations with sympathetic members of his house, and appeared to be succeeding, until Padma and Parvati showed up. They sported ugly _x's_ on their faces. They tried to make out Draco was a monster, but someone – possibly blonde – had managed to cast a _Sonorus_ charm so that their discussion with the Board of Governors was widely heard. As a result, they were sometimes ridiculed, sometimes pitied.

Still the Patils managed to further vitiate the atmosphere against the Slytherins, and against Harry, because he had apparently joined them.

The rest of the Gryffindors, with the exceptions of Neville and Ginny, grew to watch Harry with deep mistrust. They started to do pranks to him, first hiding his alarm clock and hiding his clothes. Things grew worse.

When Neville realized the extent of the pranks he was outraged. He offered Harry his room, which Harry gladly accepted. Neville had grown to project a magnificent presence, and Harry observed how he chastised anyone he saw trying to prank Harry.

But Harry could weather the pranks just fine. What he couldn't endure was the loneliness, to be apart from Draco and Daphne. He saw them briefly in lessons, and they appeared as interested in each other as always. Harry missed his blonds. He really missed them!

He was getting desperate, because the final exams would occur in one week. He wouldn't have time for reconciliation then, and the blonds would leave England and leave him behind.

He came up with the great idea of talking to Hermione. Surely she was harmless enough, with her power bound and prisoner in the Chamber of Secrets. He knew the way to the Chamber. He could go there and have a conversation with Hermione, and she would help him with this situation.

So he went to Myrtle's bathroom. The ghost was not extraordinarily impressed to be seeing him, and instead demanded to see Draco. Harry inwardly fumed, it seemed that even ghosts were subject to the infamous Malfoy charm!

He went to the sink, and hissed in parseltongue for it to open. He waited, and kept waiting. The entrance didn't budge. Harry swore at it in parseltongue, and nothing occurred.

He sensed Myrtle floating to stand by his side. She commented, "The Chamber no longer responds to parseltongue, but to the commands of Draco. If you think about it, it makes sense, especially considering that your bushy-haired friend had the Slytherin ring which allowed her to speak parseltongue. New security was needed."

Harry returned defeated to the dormitories. On his way there, he was suddenly attacked in one corridor. A fist collided with his face, his wand was taken and he could hear the sound as it was broken. He felt the backlash of magic go over him, weakening him further. The beating continued. The two assailants wore cowls and their faces could not be seen, but during a moment in the scuffle, he was able to see their visages. Nothing that would be identifiable, except the ugly mark on their cheeks.

Soon Harry slipped into unconsciousness.

tbc


	26. The Mirror Crack'd

Harry slowly woke up. He'd been struggling to breathe, and out of nowhere someone had given him a potion. Harry was too weak to resist, he ingested it. He opened his eyes and was gratified to note the sconces looked like those of the Infirmary.

A hand offered his glasses. Harry took them and put them on, and then he beheld the face of Madame Pomfrey. The stern nurse proceeded to cast diagnostic charms on him. She directed him to drink a Blood Replenishing potion. After she was satisfied that he was all right, she spoke, "You are mending, Mr. Potter. You were almost killed, brutally at that, and if it hadn't been for… At any rate, it appears you will be able to attend your Graduation on Friday."

Harry was floored. So he'd had lost time due to the attacks, and now time had ran out on him. Madame Pomfrey continued, "You have a visitor, Mr. Potter." Harry's heart jumped, imagining it to be Draco and promising himself a good reconciliation.

Those hopes were dashed when Pomfrey called, "Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Potter will see you now!"

Neville approached with the lazy saunter that had become his trademark. He grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed it almost painfully. He said, "Harry! I thought we had lost you. If it hadn't been for Goyle and Zabini, you would have died. They noticed a disturbance and went to investigate, they stopped them when they were getting furious at you. They got you free and apprehended the miscreants, fat lot of good it did; but they tried."

Harry, remembering, asked, "Who were they? They guarded their faces carefully but during a second I was able to see them and they had x's on their cheeks."

Neville replied indignantly, "They were Justin Finch-Fletchley and Zacharias Smith! They have gone out of control! Not only now, but also during the year you spent tracking Voldemort. You and Draco were mostly out of the school. People started to seemingly follow these two brats, and it went to their heads. They started to spout the latest ideology from their families as if it was coming from Merlin himself. They wanted Muggles to learn all about us, they wanted the Dark families branded and imprisoned in Azkaban."

"But then the war ended, and you and Draco returned to Hogwarts, and the attention was once more upon you two. These two gits did not take that well, and were immersed in plots to destroy the Malfoys. It seems these backfired, and they were not willing to stand back and learn from their mistakes. They wanted to impose their views harming Draco, and when they couldn't do it, they decided to harm you instead."

Neville added angrily, "When they were discovered, the Headmaster wanted to throw them immediately into Azkaban. However their families appear to be very influential in Light business. They were able to call up many favors and as a result they were let go scot free."

Harry asked, "How did the Malfoys vote on this?"

Neville answered, "Draco said that he would take no position. I quote him, "This is an affair of the Light side, which Potter will have to deal with himself.""

Harry felt his heart lurch when he thought about the blond. Neville, recognizing the symptoms, said, "This will cheer you up, Harry. Catch!" Then he threw Harry's wand to him.

Harry caught the wand and was pleased to note the magic respond in his body. It really was his wand. He directed an enquiring look towards Neville.

Neville replied, "Don't ask! I'll just say an interested party took action, and it wishes to remain anonymous for the present."

Then Harry commented, "But everyone will graduate and I won't. I haven't taken my exams."

Neville replied confidently, "You will graduate with us, Harry. It would be a circus otherwise. The Headmaster explained, though it appears to have pained him personally, that you already handled all the material with aplomb and for you, the tests were only a courtesy option towards the examiners. You have essentially completed all requirements for a diploma, up to and including final tests. You're only expected to show up."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHHRHRH

That night would be the next to last he would spend in Hogwarts as a student. The thought was sobering, and it led him to avenues he had left unexplored. It seemed there was more in the rebellion of Justin and friends that met the eyes, and he realized he had badly misjudged Draco and started the fight.

But Draco had continued. He had not explained things – not that Harry ever gave him time to do that. Maybe this was part of Draco's revenge: get him to fall in love with him and then break his heart.

Except he knew how Draco operated, and it was not like this. This would seem like a thing for _Harry_ to do.

He yearned to see his blonds, and so he came up with the novel idea of using the Mirror of Erised as a kind of television of happy thoughts. He'd seek the Mirror and then see the happy images it provided.

He made his way to the place where he knew the Mirror was. When he entered the room and lit up the sconces, he noticed that the Mirror seemed different somewhat. It didn't have any backward-reading inscription. It just stood stolidly there, showing the room as it was.

Harry approached it. He saw an image coalescing. In it, he was fucking Draco!  
Harry eagerly went to the Mirror and put his hands over it, seemingly entranced by the sight. The Mirror reacted and sucked him inside its universe.

Harry briefly lost consciousness, when he woke up, he felt like he always did when he was having visions of Voldemort. He felt like he was that special person, but he also felt distinctly contained, apart.  
He could feel Potter's joy at fucking Draco, but he enjoyed more the thought of forcing his will on him, he felt like the king of the world, like always when he raped Draco.

Afterwards Harry was forced to witness as Potter and Weasley shoved that vial of potion down Draco's throat, and Draco was raped by Weasley.

Harry was thoroughly repulsed by what he had witnessed. That Weasley and him could be so callous, it defied understanding. What stuck to his heart was Draco's depth of forgiveness. To be able to just forgive this? It showed glaringly how wrong he was, always accusing Draco of bad deeds without giving him the chance to explain.

Harry wanted to get away from this world, but he found he couldn't. He had to follow the time stream of this reality. He spent time with his two best friends, and discovered them to be banal, disgusting hypocrites.  
The next day Ron came back from the office visibly shaken. When Potter asked him how it went, he replied that a group of crazy Muggles had gone to him, asking for wizard support to save the world, protect habitats and curb pollution. Ron wanted nothing to do with it and just _obliviated_ them.

Potter pointed out that the group may have more members, and Weasley hastily replied that in that case, it didn't concern him at all.

The next night, Potter and Weasley were completely drunk, or at least Potter was. Weasley, it turned out, had merely pretended to drink. After he laid Potter down in the couch, he proceeded to call Hermione on the phone, without being aware of Potter's other passenger. They proceeded to have a conversation the likes of which opened Harry's eyes to some hard truths.

Weasley started by congratulating themselves on the upcoming Harry-Ginny engagement. Ron was sure that this would break Draco's heart. And if it didn't, then they would keep visiting him and raping him. After all, Harry was invulnerable. No one could fight with him and prevail. Ron let slip that this was a major factor in deciding to become his friend.

Weasley in the conversation disclosed that they were still following the advice of Albus Dumbledore, as offered through various portraits, including the one in Hogwarts. Weasley was in awe of the way Dumbledore had designed Harry's life. His steps of learning obedience and respect by having him submit to the authority of the Muggles, his first relations with the wizards, including Hagrid and the opportune contact with the Weasleys, the presence of a rival which could spur him on but who would never win over him, the conduct of the war, Dumbledore's death and afterwards, Harry succeeding and implementing his policies, which just happened to coincide completely with Dumbledore's. The man was a consummate political magician.

As the conversation had reached half an hour, Weasley was obviously pointing out things he'd said countless times before. He remarked how convenient it was for the Aurors to have Harry with them, especially given his penchant for trouble. He laughed and wagered that no one knew about the deep subconscious compulsion charm Dumbledore had used on him, to encourage him to seek danger. After all, who wants a Savior who does not hasten to save people?

Harry fumed, he remembered rushing to Ron in Azkaban, going to see Hermione in the Chamber, every time he felt compelled to look into a situation, it was all a compulsion of the fucking coot!

Harry grew so angry that the world shimmered. A voice thundered, "Are you not pleased with what I have wrought?"

Harry replied, "Who are you?"

The voice replied, "I am the Mirror of Triumph. I show a future in which your deepest urges have triumphed. When you entered the room, your mind was whining brokenly about Draco, who I took to be your boyfriend. You were also moaning about being powerless and weak. I have showed you a future where you succeed. Was it not to your liking?"

"No, let me go!"

"You haven't used the magic words. Until you do, you will remain here, even if it takes forever."

Harry was returned to the callous banality cast by the Golden Trio. He had to endure Hermione's constant prodding in his mind in the name of progress, Ron's tasteless jokes and actions and jealous looks when he threatened to do something out of the ordinary.

Potter made time to go to Draco's job review. Draco worked as a Healer in St. Mungo's, and it appeared he was quite good. However, Harry soon found with dismay that many other Healers actively sought to diminish his achievements when they spoke of him. Obviously they were wary of the Malfoy name, perhaps even resented and wanted it gone. The culmination though was when Potter stood up and offered a damning testimonial about Draco. He suggested that it would be in the best interests of the Light if Draco was kept in the job, with no raise and a warning letter.

This filled Harry's cup of hateful occurrences, especially because he was the guilty party. He mentally screamed, "I give up, I give up! I want to go home. Please make this stop!"

A satisfied voice replied, "You just had to ask!"

Harry found himself back in the Mirror room. He made his way back to the Infirmary. It was 9 AM and there were no students in sight. When he got there, Madame Pomfrey glared at him and said, "Where have you been? I knew you were a prankster but this is too much! You're going to be late for your own Graduation! Take these clothes that were brought here for you and go!"

Harry blushed and then changed into the clothes provided by Pomfrey, which were comfy and obviously expensive.

He went to the Great Hall and made his hurried way next to Neville. Two figures sauntered close by, both leering at him, with crosses in their cheeks, obviously Finch-Fletchley and Smith. Neville grasped his knee, offering reassurance.

Severus Snape started his speech. He said he was calling to life an ancient tradition and would call for a Magical Valedictorian. They would represent what was best in Hogwarts, they would offer an uplifting example to follow. Harry thought that Snape would surely choose Draco.

Snape continued, "The Class of 98 will represent strength in success, which was earned painfully. Many times have I publicly chastised the Valedictorian. I hoped that he would become inured to it and grow a backbone. I'm pleased to say he did. He's everything we could dream of demanding of him, a hero, a great wizard, but above all, a great human being."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Magical Valedictorian of the class of 1998 at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Harry was flabbergasted. He could not imagine Snape choosing Neville over Draco. He wanted to see Draco, to gauge his reaction. He looked towards the Slytherin table when he noticed that the pendants denoting the houses did not show the snake symbol. It was with growing trepidation that his eyes scanned the table, and he didn't find any of the Slytherins he knew.

Slytherin House was no more. Draco and Daphne were gone.

tbc


	27. The Mirror healed

_And teacher  
There are things  
That I still have to learn  
But the one thing I have is my pride  
Oh, so I don't want to learn to  
Hold you, touch you  
Think that you're mine  
Because there ain't no joy  
For an uptown boy  
Who just isn't willing to try  
I'm so cold inside  
Maybe just one more try  
_(One More Try, _G. Michael_)

NC-17 content

Harry visibly faltered, and tried to understand what had happened. He'd believed he had gone out of the Mirror, but it seems he just changed Mirrors.  
"Smart, aren't you? Said an insinuatingly beautiful voice.  
"Where am I? asked tremulously Harry.

"You are in the Mirror of Denial, where we can see how well we live without something we don't want and yet yearn for. Most of Hogwarts looks on Slytherin House like a curse, here the curse has been lifted. Your life has been influenced by Slytherins. You will find what it's like when not one of them influences you further. You will go in a journey of exploration. This trip cannot be stopped once it's started, so don't call me. You will know when the journey ends, and you will be returned to the time frame whence you came. Whether one second, one year or ten years later depends on circumstances. Everything that happens to you physically also happens to your body. Good-bye."

With that, Harry was left alone. Eventually Neville made his way back to him, accompanied by Ginny. Ginny kissed Harry's cheek and commented, "It will be hard next year, without you two here. Your brothers aren't as well-behaved as you, Harry."

Harry countered weakly, "Why do you think so?"

Ginny answered, "Everyone knows your mother dotes on the twins and Charles. When they asked to go to Durmstrang, your parents agreed, now they've asked to return here, and Lilly and James comply easily. It's also known that you don't like going home, in fact, after vacation you mostly look like a walking corpse." "But now you have rented a flat with Hermione and Ron. You should be happy."

Eventually the graduation went by in a blur of red and brown. Harry danced with Ginny and Hermione. He wasn't pleased to feel Hermione's prying touch in his mind, trying to get him to open up to her. It appeared that no matter the reality, Hermione was a bitch. He kept his _Occlumency_ shields in place.

He applied for a job as an Auror and was rejected, given that here he was not the Boy Who Lived. He tried as a nurse in St. Mungo's and they accepted him. That gave him an excuse to spend most of his time away from his odious friends. He missed greatly his relationship with Draco and Daphne.

He anticipated that the political landscape, barring the influence of the Slytherins, would be smooth. It wasn't. Purebloods were continuously taxed out of existence. Most of them had fled to America or Russia . Dark Magic was so frowned upon, that just mentioning it could get one a fine, or even a stay in Azkaban.

Harry estimated that with such draconian laws, things were settled. That didn't happen at all. The Ministry allowed the Muggleborns so much free reign that they had blurted out to the Muggles the existence of the Wizarding world. The Ministry tried to rectify the mistake but they handled clumsily. The wizards were forced to acquiesce to the demands of the Muggles, under pain of being attacked with nukes. Now there were special 'research zones' set up where Muggle scientists tried to see how magic operated. Their experiments neared the inane cruelty of the Nazi ones. Currently 10 per cent of the Wizarding population was in such straits.

Harry tried having boyfriends and girlfriends, but they didn't understand him. They could not comprehend the hard edge of reality in which he lived, when they fought, they just walked away, they didn't stay and fight back.

Harry ended up enjoying quick fucks in the backs of clubs, where he would be forced against a wall, his pants roughly taken from him, the lube would sometimes be unavailable, and the cock thrusting into him always impatient.

As a result of enduring Draco's rape from the criminal's viewpoint, he wasn't particularly attracted to the dominant position.

Of course, when Ron and Hermione heard about his activities, they blew the roof. They were so enraged, they forced him out of the apartment. They were very mean in their opinions of him, something that didn't surprise Harry at all. He just gathered his things and went to Neville's and Ginny's apartment.

That night he went to a new club, which catered to the rougher side. After having two drinks, a cloaked man asked him to go to the bathroom with him. Harry obeyed and when they got there, he was pushed against the wall while the stranger lazily drawled, "Open up for me, Potter." Harry could almost believe it was Draco talking, but it wasn't.

The man took off his cowl and Harry saw the face of Zacharias Smith, with a scarred cheek. Harry tried to resist but Zacharias just held him harshly against the wall and he bellowed, "Justin!" In walked Finch-Fletchley, gloating and leering at Harry. He said, "_Accio_ Potter's wand!" The wand flew to his hands and he said, "I feel tempted to break it, like I would have done before. I think I will." Then he broke the wand, and the residual magic caused Harry a great deal of pain.

Smith vanished Harry's pants and then thrust his cock into him. After he had violated Harry, Justin took his turn. They left a weeping and trembling Harry after telling him he was a great lay, in no time at all would he be filled with lovers.

Harry cautiously made his way to Neville's apartment. He ceased going to clubs for the rapid shags, and got a boyfriend. He was usually very careful about the company he kept, because he had lost his wand. It made him more ashamed of his tactic to keep Draco from his wand until he came begging for it.

Some time later he determined that he had stalkers. On weekdays he felt he was being watched as he used the Floo from St. Mungo's. The feeling remained after he went to the Aurors and begged them to look into the affair, to be brushed aside and denigrated.

One fine autumn day, as he was walking through the park near the apartment, he was accosted by the stalkers, who turned out to be unsurprisingly Finch-Fletchley and Smith. They taunted him and proceeded to revolt him with the tales of what they would do. Harry had gotten tired of being the martyr always, and had come up with a good plan to ensure lasting success, against any Smith and Finch. If what happened affected his body, wouldn't something that happened to the body of Smith and Co. affect them too, wherever they were? Harry intended to find out.

When they were taunting him, Harry wandlessly summoned Smith's wand. When he had it he cast _Silencio_ on them and proceeded to cast _Crucio,_ _Sectumsempra _and finally _Avada Kedavra_. He was convinced that he could not live with them in peace, in this or any other world. They would never cease to try to destroy him. If he allowed this to continue unpunished then he was only setting himself up for a greater, harsher strike against him or someone he loved. The use of Dark Magic had caused him to feel slightly giddy, but nothing more. He was not suddenly possessed by the need to go on a rampage murdering innocents.

The days passed and Harry felt he could relax a bit. Thus he was caught unprepared when he went to the Ministry to talk with some Aurors and the building was seized by a company of Muggle soldiers. The wizards tried to defend themselves using magic, but it became jarringly clear that magic was inoperative that day. Harry bitterly thought that the Muggles, after learning about magic from the unwilling participants of their experiments, had finally learned how to create vast zones where it wouldn't operate. They were resourceful.

They were also cruel. Harry chastised himself for forgetting the Dursleys and their unkind reaction to magic. Granted that not all Muggles would react so, but the xenophobes would raise a ruckus and get their way.

They were herded out of the building and held at gunpoint. The Muggles smirked and hit some of them. Then the guns started firing. As Harry dispassionately saw the gun in front of him firing, he accepted it. The bullets, however, stopped suddenly in mid-air. Son they lost consistency and vanished, along with the Muggles, the wizards, everything.

Harry realized what the final lesson was: it was stupid to fixate on Slytherin House as the fountain of all evil. Even if it didn't exist, they would be in peril, not only from Dark Magic, but more relentlessly from the Muggles themselves. They had to guard their secrecy well.

Having learned all that he could from that reality, the Mirror let him go.

Harry made his doubtful way from the Mirror room to the Infirmary. Pomfrey had harsh words for him and the Graduation was about to start. He saw the same clothes that he previously wore and was disheartened, what if everything repeated exactly the same way?

The beginning of the ceremony was delayed because Snape had grave news to announce: it seemed that in the thick of the night, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Zacharias Smith had died. Their mates noticed that they couldn't speak, later they were writhing on the floor and then died. The tests did not indicate Dark Magic. It was a conundrum. Harry fought not to smirk.

Then Snape repeated his previous (to Harry) words about the Magical Valedictorian. Harry again believed it was Draco, and he was surprised that it was Neville. He widened his eyes and scrutinized the Slytherin table, finding Draco. He wasn't frowning, he was smiling and clapping and waving for Neville to go on. Harry's chest expanded impossibly, and he would have surely flown if he had had wings. He saw Daphne smirking next to Draco, and he knew that, whatever may happen, he was in the reality he wanted to be in.

The ceremonies proceeded, and then the dance. Harry danced with Ginny, and when he tried to dance with Draco, he found him gliding across the floor with Daphne or a stunningly beautiful pregnant Narcissa.

At the end, he walked to the Headmaster's office. The password to open the gargoyle was usually something related to potions. On a whim, Harry said, "Wolfsbane!" and the gargoyle opened. Harry made his leisure way up, when he distinguished several voices speaking. Deciding to let his Slytherin part to the front, Harry prepared to eavesdrop on the conversation.

He could hear someone's voice – Goyle – say irritatedly, "Draco should tell him, don't you think so Professor?"  
Snape replied, "What Draco should do is no concern of mine. Except to cajole and guide him, if he is amenable."  
Someone else – Blaise – added, "Potter should know what Draco has done for him. It was Draco who sent us to the corridor where Potter was being held, he took care of Potter while we went searching for the miscreants. Draco used his time-turner to save Potter's wand. Later he determined that the Mirrors had Potter. His guardian angel has always walked beside Potter, and Draco refuses to let him know!"

Snape answered, "Draco does not want Potter to be with him for gratitude, he wants his love and trust."  
That made clear to Harry what he ought to do. He should go find Draco and tell him that he loved and trusted him.  
Harry returned to the dance. He searched intensely for the blondest hair in the room, but he couldn't find him. He went to the Slytherin section and searched increasingly agitatedly for his blonds. He didn't find them, and that made him worry. He saw Millicent and casually asked her, "Do you know where Draco and Daphne are?"

Millie replied nonchalantly, "They left half an hour ago. I think they were going to take the inter-continental Portkey to start their travel in America ."  
Harry paled and would have fallen down if not for Millie embracing his waist. She said, "You might want to talk to Severus first, Harry. He might have important information."

Harry made his second trip to the Headmaster's office and this time he found Snape alone. Harry said that he needed to find Draco to tell him that he loved him, that he trusted his use of magic, including Dark. He now knew there were instances when you had to act harshly.  
Severus appeared to ponder this, while secretly pleased that Draco's relationship seemed to be on the mend, he still distrusted a Potter.

Eventually he said, "They have gone to the Malfoy Manor in Atlanta. I've heard that it is an _ante-bellum_ beauty. They were planning side trips to Toronto and Chicago."

"I'm not the Secret-Keeper so I cannot tell you where they are." Harry's face fell. Severus rapidly continued, not wanting to face an enraged dragon, "Narcissa can tell you its location. I'm sure she will also prove helpful in securing a means to get there."

Harry used the Floo to go to Malfoy Manor. He arrived and found Narcissa with Lucius, Andromeda and Antares, he greeted them effusively, especially the child, "Hello you all, hello Antares! Nice to see that beautiful blond and black pattern in your hair." Narcissa and Andromeda looked surprised at his use of the child's name, but took it in stride.

Narcissa ordered tea and everybody had some. Harry offered an edited version of what had happened to him. Narcissa and Andromeda went to him and hugged him.  
Narcissa gave him a parchment in which it was written:

_The Malfoy Manor may be located 35 miles from Atlanta, Georgia, in 7 Hedgehog Drive_

She also gave him a small piece of paper in which were listed the departure times for the inter-continental portkey. The one who arrived to Atlanta would leave in two hours. Narcissa sent a House elf to get the ticket and the portkey.

Narcissa gave him a measuring stare, as if to impress upon him that he had to use this chance well, and started, "Draco explained every step of his travels several times, emphasizing the places and times, and even means to get there. Just like a Slytherin to know all that, as if he himself or _someone close_ were going to use that knowledge."

The elf returned with the portkey. Harry agitatedly said, "What about luggage? I don't have any!"  
Narcissa calmly replied as she peremptorily sent Antares to Andromeda, "You won't need any. Just use some of their stuff until you can buy some! Or later you could send an owl and let us know which outfits you want us to send."

The moment came. He grabbed the portkey and felt the pull on his navel, all the discomfort of this travel, only now, he was glad of the chance to be doing it.

He got to Atlanta, and he took the Floo until a location just about a mile from the Manor. He walked until he found a seemingly empty place, repeating the instructions in his head, he watched as a beautiful, white-tiled and white-portico'd mansion appeared.

He knocked on the door and a seemingly disgruntled Daphne appeared three minutes later. "Who the hell are you and what… Harry?"  
Harry replied timidly, "Yes, it's me!"  
Daphne answered, "Come in. Draco, Harry is here!"  
Draco appeared, a little out of breath, as if he had run some distance. He said, "Great to see you, Harry!"

Harry knew the moment had come. He said, "I'm sorry I acted like a prat towards you, Draco. I was acting in the exact way they trained me to act, instinctively and without thinking. Now I know what you went through. Sometimes the use of Dark magic may be the only way to go on that ensures our well-being. I know you wouldn't necessarily revenge yourself with Dark Magic. I know you would do your utmost to keep yourself intact and enact a fair revenge, and I agree wholeheartedly with that."

"Whatever happens, I will love you and Daphne. I would not willingly dwell in a world which did not have you in it."

Draco approached Harry and hugged him carefully, as if he was handling china, or something precious. The tenderness was there, along with surety and support. Daphne after some more unobtrusive photo-taking joined them and set the camera to take more photos.

And between his blonds, Harry felt that the Silver trio was going strong, and he felt home at last.

But there was a tingling in his body, and he knew what he wanted, what he needed. He whispered in Draco's ear "Care to show me to my room?" He casually touched Draco's crotch.

Draco paled and said, "Of course, Harry. Come here." Daphne just snorted. She had a good idea of what the pair were going to do, and wished them well.  
Draco led Harry to a room decorated in green and silver wallpaper. Harry pounced on Draco, he threw him on the wall and asked throatily, "Do you know what I want to do, Draco?"

"No."  
"It's been too long since your cock has been where I want it best: inside me. Time to fix that!"  
Harry took out his wand and vanished their clothes. He asked Draco nonchalantly, "Have any lube?"  
Draco hurriedly _accio'd_ a jar of lube. Harry turned toward the wall and said, "Fuck me against the wall, Draco. Be as rough as you want! I am not afraid because I trust you."

Draco quickly used one, then two and later three fingers to stretch him. Harry hummed as they stroked his prostate. Then Draco pushed into him. It didn't hurt at all, there was only a pleasurably burn. Draco set a hard pace that had Harry near the edge. Harry felt he would come without direct stimulation to his cock. This fuck was so intense, so heated and passionate. Forceful yet restrained. It was everything his quick shags in the clubs had never been.

Draco would eventually take out his cock completely, and just before Harry's entrance closed completely, he'd put it inside again, going to the hilt. Harry was a writhing mass of moans and whimpers.

Draco reduced the tempo of his thrusts and stooped to pick up his Elder wand. He flicked and swished it a number of times, murmuring an incantation. Then he announced smugly to Harry, "Harry, I have a surprise for you. I want you to see how you look when I'm taking you. Turn to your left."

Harry turned to look and beheld a mirror that spanned the complete room. He could see him on the wall and Draco pounding into him. It made him enormously hotter.  
He decided he wanted to see more of himself in the mirror. He disengaged from Draco and kneeled on the floor, he put his elbows there and wiggled, hopefully enticingly, his behind at Draco and asked him to go on and fuck him silly.

As Draco pounded him hard, he looked at the mirror and saw a satisfied version of him, looking completely hot as Draco's cock left his glistening hole. When Draco plunged particularly strongly, Harry came. He hadn't touched his own member at all. Harry clenching on him caused Draco to climax.

Draco commented, "That is how hot you look, Harry."

Harry looked at his reflection, and it appeared to wink at him. He blushed and agreed that it was indeed very hot to watch themselves as they shagged.

tbc


	28. American Journey

The next morning they drank sweet tea and had a Southern breakfast. The mansion was enormous, full of gilded columns, enchanted tapestries and a dining room ceiling charmed like that at Hogwarts to reflect the weather. Currently it showed a clouded, almost stormy climate.

They had the breakfast in the intimacy of the kitchen, rather than the imposing dining room, though. The elves spoke with a certain Southern accent which was somehow incongruent with their being House elves, according to Harry.

Harry himself raised an issue he wanted to discuss. He told them about his discovery of Dumbledore implanting a compulsion charm on him to seek danger. Daphne narrowed her eyes and started ranting about Dumbledore.

Draco just stood up and paced. He looked calmly determined and even smug about something. He started, "When you disappeared from the Infirmary, Harry, I started to research where you might have gone. A comment made by Neville reminded me of the time when he saved me from the Mirror of Erised, and I knew you might have gone there. I made my way to the room, and when I got there I found this House Elf who seemed intent on removing the Mirror that was currently there."

"Harry, if the Mirror had been hidden away, you would never have returned. You'd grow old and die in the reality of the Mirror."

"The elf was ordered first to put that specific Mirror there, and later remove it. Under my tender ministrations, the elf confessed that he was following Dumbledore's orders."

"Of course I was enraged! Once again the pesky old coot attacks from beyond the grave. I went back to the Manor and removed one of our heirlooms. The Muggles know of this man as a great Renaissance painter, with a delicate management of light and shadows. Hieronymus Bosch was a renowned artist. What they don't know is that he was a wizard, and he also painted Wizarding landscapes. He sometimes liked to depict life in hell, and he made great paintings of this."

"I took one of his magical masterpieces and took it to the Headmaster's office. I admit readily it took a bit, or a lot of prodding for Dumbledore to move to the Hell painting, but eventually he did."

"That particular painting of Dumbledore will pose no problems now. Due to the nature of portrait magic, all portraits must spend some amount of time in all frames. So the rest of his paintings will endure Hell, at least for a while."

Daphne cut in, "We'll help you with the compulsion, Harry. I will start researching in the library here."

Harry continued telling them about his actions in the Mirrors of Triumph and Denial. When he got to the part about the clubs, he faltered. Still, he knew he had to tell them the truth. He made the point that he was alone, cut off from them, living in something that didn't interest him greatly. He wanted to feel again, and he got that for a few minutes when he was having sex. Invariably it faded rapidly and left him as jaded as always.

Draco was seething, he asked, "So you fucked a lot of guys?"

Harry replied, "No, many guys fucked me."

Draco started pacing to and fro, and Harry was almost sure he was going to get hexed; but Draco visibly calmed.

He sat down again and said, "I understand. I know what it feels to be left alone, bereft in the world, with life passing by as immutable as the wind. I know that sometimes you wanted to feel less alone, even for a little while. I might have been lonely too, but thankfully I had my Daphne and Scorpius. They were truly my sustaining force for so long."

"I don't like it, but I understand. Just as long as you understand something, Potter."

"What?"

"In that future, you strung me along and made me believe you would be with me. Then you married the Weaselette. A little later I performed a Banishment charm that ensured that you couldn't see me for some years. Fortunately that provided a breathing space to meet and marry Daphne, have Scorpius and at least enjoy some years with my family, before it came crashing down. If you are unfaithful again, I will also use the Banishment here, with the proviso that you will never see me again."

Harry gulped and nodded.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

They spent the week getting acclimated to Atlanta, its moods and colors. Harry found that the American wizards were less prejudiced than the British ones. To be sure, they were divided in purebloods and Muggleborns, but they didn't treat each other so hostilely. Wizards were almost always very polite, with easy smiles and refined manners bespeaking of the old aristocracy. They argued points fiercely, but they didn't try to resort to hexes when the stakes were down.

They noticed he was the Boy Who Lived, and just took it in stride. More interesting for them was the fact that he appeared to live with Malfoy.

The news from home was interesting. Narcissa continued to have an uneventful pregnancy, but she appeared to have driven Andromeda and Lucius out of their minds. Even Antares kept away from his mother. Only the Headmaster's sharp wit and barbed rejoinders managed to effectively calm her, so Severus was a frequent visitor to the Manor.

The elections for Minister of Magic were due in two days. Harry, Daphne and Draco had already voted by magical ballot. The odds were favoring Amelia Bones slightly more than Percy Weasley. When Harry pointed that out, Draco just smirked and winked mysteriously.

The Weasleys were divided about their support for Percy. A newly free George, Ginny, and Mr. Weasley favored him. Bill and Charlie were opposed, and Mrs. Weasley had no opinion.

On June 20th, Daphne, Harry and Draco boarded the Malfoy Learjet that would take them to the Corporation's hometown of Chicago, where Draco would preside over a meeting of the board of trustees.

When Harry mulishly pointed out that they could arrive earlier by portkey, Draco countered with the fact that it was a tradition to go there by jet. Besides using a portkey they would miss the sheer expanse of the land, how it changed from green and verdant to gray and lived.

They had a great flight, although Harry was a bit disturbed with the movement of the plane. Daphne swatted Draco on the back of the head so he wouldn't sneer.

The Malfoy tower was a magical building situated near the Sears tower. Though it wasn't visible to the Muggles, still it attracted their attention. Harry found to his surprise that the display of wealth was understated. It offered a place to do business for the magical and Muggle people.

They entered a magnificently appointed room, the chairs were upholstered with leather. There were plenty of keyboards and laptop screens to accelerate the flow of information. A graying old man came up to them and offering his hand said, "Aren't you going to introduce me, Malfoy, to your friends?"

Harry instantly took a dislike to the falsely charming tone of the man. Draco replied, "Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass, meet Oliver Mencies."

Draco made his round of the people in the room. Some of them muttered somewhat loudly that he was a good-for-nothing, he wasn't like his father. Draco simply observed.

Eventually the meeting started and Harry came to realize that there was a battle going on for the future of the Corporation. Mencies and his cronies were all for business as usual, Draco proposed a far-seeing plan, where the differences in birth would not be important at all. He anticipated working with the Muggles to try and repair the environment where possible. Having the support of the behemoth Corporation would work wonders for this cause. The pureblood purists would lose this support though. Hopefully the Muggleborns would seize the chance and try for a rapprochement instead of gloating.

The time came to take the final vote. Shares were voted _en bloc_, and for a time it seemed as if Draco's proposal would be snuffed. The vote was 60 percent against him, 40 for him.

Mencies gloated as he said, "I have no doubt how the Malfoy shares will vote, but I am intent on knowing how Lucius directs his personal vote. While the Malfoy family has vested its block on Draco, Lucius's remain his to vote as he pleases. Knowing him for many years, I have no doubt that he will decide against his son's monstrous proposal!"

Daphne and Harry turned back to observe Draco, who was visibly gloating. He started, "I have here in my pocket Lucius Malfoy's signature in a document making me the proxy for this and any vote of the Corporation. Lucius's vote is for my proposal. The Malfoy shares also vote for it. The final tally is 43 percent against, 57 for it. The ayes have it and the proposal is formally accepted. Work will begin immediately according to the Mission statement and guidelines informing this plan."

Next came the momentous decision of choosing the Chief Executive Officer. Oliver Mencies proposed himself and garnered the support of some people. Draco also proposed himself. With the Malfoy and Lucius shares voting for him, he was easily elected as the CEO.

Mencies was deeply enraged, he started muttering about 'blond upstarts who suddenly show up.'

Draco made sure to kick out Mencies and his men. They spluttered and tried to shout, but the guards had been summoned by magical means and were ready to pounce. He ordered them to be out of the premises in one hour.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Later that day, after a leisurely stroll among Chicago's skyscrapers, Draco surprised them by guiding them to a small restaurant, where they proceeded to have a very satisfying meal of _enchiladas_ and _burritos._ Harry, never having enjoyed this particular cuisine before, made the mistake of eating a very hot pepper and his mouth soon was on fire. Fortunately – or unfortunately – Draco noticed and took it upon himself to soothe that pain by kissing him violently. Harry was in a sensory overload, from the pepper and the kiss, and eventually was left floundering like a fish. He hid his face in Draco's chest.

He was sure that Daphne would be disgusted by the spectacle, when he felt a slight figure on his right and small hands lifting his face. Then Daphne was kissing him with gusto, strong enough that he didn't feel the pepper anymore. She just said, "That was hot!" She then added insinuatingly sweet, "And if you go around shagging people, before Draco's revenge I will make sure you can't perform that anymore! Got it?"

Harry shuddered and nodded.

Draco spent the next week streamlining the headquarters and setting his plan into motion. Harry and Daphne spent quite some time together, touring the sprawling metropolis and talking about things. One afternoon, Daphne timidly asked Harry, "Can you do me a favor, Harry?"

"Sure."

"Could you talk to Draco about… Well, we haven't made love yet. I know he loves me, yet he seems a bit skittish around me. Maybe he will listen to you." Harry agreed that he would try to help them.  
The next day Harry cornered Draco in the living room of their suite in the hotel, and started by saying, "Daphne came to me, Draco. She's afraid you don't like her anymore."  
Draco replied, "That's crazy, of course I like her."  
Harry probed, "Have you made love to her?"

Draco blushed and answered, "No, I haven't. Harry, I'm very afraid that I will mess up with the spell that tells us about Scorpius. What happens if we make love so much that his date of conception is ruined? I keep visualizing a needle in a haystack. It is daunting to try to do what we are trying to accomplish. I don't want it to blow in our faces – in Daphne's face – just because I couldn't control myself."

Harry suppressed the urge to smirk and just countered with, "You can't jinx the conception, Draco! I mean, you could if you were killed or grievously wounded, but as long as that doesn't apply, you have a free reign. You can make love to her as often as you like. The spell will let you know when it is imperative that you two copulate, as long as you follow the spell's instruction, which is only the date, you will be all right."

Harry continued melancholically, "It's such a good spell that maybe I would be tempted to use it to get my children, which you told me were three. But when you returned from the future, it was changed and irrevocably erased. You had that photo of Scorpius which you salvaged, it provided me with a link to Scorpius's magic, and serves to guide the spell as it protects the germinal cells which will join and form him. However nothing remains from my children in this time, there's no way to anchor the spell."

Draco, seeing Harry's face grow wistful, decided to change the subject.

"What will you do, Harry?"  
"What?"  
Draco continued, "I mean, what do you want to do? Do you want to work as an Auror, a Healer, a writer, an Unspeakable, a politician?"  
Harry answered warily, "I don't know."  
Draco answered, "You can do whatever you want. Just search within yourself and when you find out, let us know and we will help you."

Harry countered with, "Even if I want to be an Auror?"  
Draco replied, "Even then."

In the morning they took the Learjet and flew across the Great Lakes, and reached Toronto. As soon as the plane took off, Draco appeared to drag Daphne toward the back of the plane, where Harry suspected was a bedroom. He could sense a _Muffliato_ spell being cast, and prepared to tease mercilessly his two blonds.

Draco guided Daphne to the bedroom. He closed the door and pushed her gently into the bed. He said, "I want the first time to be in the air because that is how you make me feel. Seeing your green eyes, watching you as you protect us, these memories make it all right to go on. You were always there, Green Eyes, when I needed you. With you I fly forever."

They kissed, and it was a passionate and gentle kiss, like the expectations of the Earth in the Winter Solstice, that the nights will not hold sway forever, that the light of day will keep on growing stronger.

Draco took off Daphne's clothes and then took off his own. He knew what Daphne liked and used this knowledge like a Slytherin. Soon he was poised above her, looking at her disheveled hair, her legs spread out, her breath rapid, and she looked adorable. Of course Draco kept this knowledge to himself, not wanting to suffer a painful thwack just now.

He entered her, and soon remembered how right it felt to be with her. She pushed back and muttered about 'harder, faster.' So he complied, and soon they were both moaning, grunting and finally shouting. Draco came and stayed in her until he was sure she had come too.

They cuddled for a bit, but the flight would end soon. Draco grabbed her clothes and gave them back to her. He got dressed.

Just as they were going to land in Canada , Draco and Daphne made their leisure way back. If one were to use Slytherin-honed acuity, one might note they looked slightly disheveled. Harry went to Draco and originally sitting across from him, suddenly decided to sit on his lap and jumped there. Draco put his arms around Harry. Harry couldn't forego to needle the blond, and asked, "Was it good?" Draco blushed a deep red and answered, "Yes, it was good!"

Harry kept moving his backside enticingly, until he noted Draco's arousal. Then he suddenly stood up and announced he had to get ready. Draco muttered under his breath, "Teaser."

tbc


	29. Canadian interlude

They made their way to the hotel. Draco had brought them so they could go to the final game in the North-American Quidditch league finals. Tomorrow the Denver Dementors would fight against the Toronto Tornados.

Draco assured them that the Dementors would win, and Harry just had to contradict him, as always. He said, "No, I think the Tornados might win, they are fighting in their turf."  
Draco sneered and drawled lazily, "Are you willing to make a bet?"  
Harry nodded. Draco continued, "If I win, you will satisfy one of my fantasies, likewise for you. That OK?"  
Harry gulped and said that it was fine for him.

In the morning, Draco and Daphne were eating breakfast and wondering where was Harry when he sauntered through the suite's door, carrying a newspaper and trying not to gloat too much.

Daphne asked with foreboding, "What's the matter, Harry?"

Harry answered, "They finally have the results of the election, after having conceded to extraneous pressures – here he glared at Draco – and counting the results again, they came to the conclusion that Amelia Bones won the post of Minister of Magic."

Harry expected Draco to start swearing and breaking things, but he appeared completely unruffled and even –dare he think it? – satisfied at some scheme. Harry was curious.

He asked curiously, "Aren't you angry?"

Draco replied, "No. As a matter of fact I would have been completely satisfied with both of these choices. I supported Percy wholeheartedly, but I also knew the price he'd pay for my support in terms of the simpletons distrusting me. Now Percy is free to become the Undersecretary of Magic, Chief of Staff to Amelia Bones. He'll have all the mechanisms with which to effect change, he will also have the counsel and guiding influence of Amelia, whom I trust implicitly. It's a win-win situation."

"The simpletons will see that Percy lost and they will be satisfied that Draco Malfoy does not control their lives. Meanwhile they'll forget that Lucius won the job as Chief Warlock. The purebloods will see that one of their numbers is honored with this post, and will be slightly more amenable to a truce."

Harry was in awe, "This was your plan all along!" Draco answered, "Not as such. The details came out and I used what the situation provided, as a good Slytherin should."

After a hasty lunch, they left for the Stadium, which was in the suburbs of Toronto. They found the tents first, among the general rowdiness of the excited wizards and witches. They bought souvenirs from the Dementors (for Draco) and Tornados (for Harry). Daphne just liberally took from her mates' stashes and if they even looked at her crossly, she would glare at them.

Draco had tickets to preferential seats, right behind the Canadian Minister of Magic. The Minister turned out to be a long time friend of the Malfoys and they struck a conversation.

Eventually the game started. The Dementors' players were good, especially the Seeker and the Beaters, but the Tornados appeared to have the better team, more balanced. Harry was bouncing, figuring what he'd get Draco to do in his private fantasy.

Both Draco and Daphne looked at him worriedly. They followed the action in the pitch using magical glasses. The Tornados had many goals, and the score was Dementors 120, Tornados 210. Harry was almost tasting the sweet smell of victory.

Suddenly everybody was out of their seats and screaming. Harry looked around wonderingly and noticed that the game appeared to have ended. He looked at the score board and saw that the final tally was Dementors 270, Tornados 220. It seemed the Dementors won, thanks to the Seeker, and he'd lost. Now he had to fulfill a fantasy of Draco's. Harry hoped it was something nice, that he could get into. He started to get hard.

He was startled when Draco's breath ghosted over his face. He said, "You will be interested to know my fantasy, Harry. I want you to visualize how Daphne looks as you are making love to her. Picture her blond locks in disarray, her green eyes alive, her body pliant below yours. Imagine yourself with her. Now think about me, poised above you. When you enter her, I enter you. When you move around and inside her, I move inside you. You are caught between blonds. You will not escape so easily."

By that time, Harry was painfully hard. He was so hot and bothered by the description of the fantasy, that he felt he could come very easily. But Draco moved away after smirking at him. Harry huffed, "Teaser!"

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

They spent the next days sightseeing Toronto. Harry loved America and its cities, but he positively grew to yearn for the open spaces here, the careful mix of the Old and New World, the joviality of many people.

He told Draco and Daphne his reaction to living in Canada . The blonds, after looking at each other meaningfully, started talking. Daphne said, "So you love Canada . You would like to live here?"

Harry replied, "Yes."

Draco continued, "While the main address will continue to be in Britain , I can't help but think that it would be a great idea if we bought a house here. We could spend one or two months here every year. Is that thought agreeable to you?"

Harry didn't answer but instead launched himself at the blonds. He snaked an arm around Draco and the other around Daphne and kissed them thoroughly.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

They dedicated themselves to acquiring a residence. They found a nice magical cottage with 10 rooms, and 4 house elves. They bought it and refurbished it. Harry found to his surprise that he seemed to have a knack for finding out the correct furniture, colors, functions and blending it all together. The other members of the Silver trio were appreciative of Harry's hitherto unknown taste.

The house ended up looking very inviting. Draco suggested that they should put it under _Fidelius_. When Daphne asked who would be the Secret-Keeper, Draco surprised them saying, "Obviously Harry. He is the one who has invested most in the house. This should be a place where he can come when he wants to, maybe when the pressures of the world are too much. He should also have the choice of who to invite over."

The _Fidelius_ charm was cast and Harry was the Secret-Keeper. Immediately he sent Draco and Daphne two notes saying:

_The Marauders' Cottage can be found in Scarborough Fair 45, Toronto, Canada_

Draco couldn't resist needling Harry. He said, "Marauders? I see you're still fond of the memory of your father and friends. Are we the next Marauders, Harry?"  
Harry replied calmly, "No, we are better than them. They were immersed in the morass of house prejudices. They played most of their pranks on the Slytherins. I like to think that we look much farther than that, at least most of the time."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Time flew rapidly in their Northern enclosure. Harry felt right at home with the invigorating climate, and the people. Daphne kept taking Healer refresher courses, and Draco was busy with putting into motion his plan to hopefully diminish the dangers to the world. He'd also managed to wheedle Amelia Bones enough that the Malfoys were offered complete pardons for prior misdeeds. The orders to seize any Malfoy land or money were deemed unlawful by this Government. That obviated the need for the _Fidelius_ charm, but Draco had grown cautious. He'd keep the charm around many of the Malfoy properties, including the Manor.

They spent an enjoyable and peaceful 4th of July holiday. They watched as autumn came to the land, and the leaves started to lose their vibrant colors and turned red or brown.

Approximately a month after they had come to Toronto, Draco spoke with Daphne and Harry. "We have one more stop on this side of the ocean. We will fly to Brazil in six days' time."

Daphne asked, "Why? I don't think all that sun will be agreeable to my skin."  
Draco replied, "It's something that needs to be done, and I'm sure you'll love the beaches in Rio de Janeiro."  
Harry asked, "Will we be taking the Learjet?"  
Draco answered, "It will take us most of the journey. The last part we'll have to use other means, because they don't have an airport long enough."  
Daphne paled, she swore under her breath, "Primitive!"

Draco continued unperturbed, "I'm sure you will both be enjoying yourselves." Draco was privately a little worried. The news from home was not very upbeat. Narcissa was all right, but Healer Iolande Auerbach had indicated that she needed to spend the last two months under strict bed regimen. She wasn't allowed full liberty of movement for her own good, but Draco knew how impatient his mother could get. This would surely be a great burden for Lucius, Andromeda and Severus, although judging by Andromeda's letter, Severus appeared to enjoy a close relationship with Healer Auerbach. He had even smiled!

Draco wanted his godfather to find someone to love, someone who would be there for him, to finally be free of Lilly Potter's ghost. Draco was appalled by the story of the liaison between Lilly and Severus. He wasn't bothered by it, so much as by the unfairness of it all. He could have stomached a situation where Lilly and Severus had a torrid affair and later Severus, remembering it, grew despondent and became a slave to the sacred idea of a Lilly in need.

The truth was quite insipid. There was no affair, Snape was manipulated so he would fall prey to the idea of a pure, untouchable Lilly, and he proceeded to waste 20 years of his life mooning over the idea of perfect Lilly. Draco would gladly throw a party to whoever broke this curse.

Draco felt he needed to be there, but he also felt he required to finish this back-up plan, or he would never do it. As always, the welfare of the world won out. Draco cursed inwardly his growing streak of Gryffindorish tendencies. Maybe living with Harry was changing him into a Gryff! Draco shuddered and continued on other trains of thought.

Eventually Draco went to his sparring lessons with Harry and Daphne. The Silver trio agreed that they needed to stay in top form, given the endless supply of bad guys. They used this time to practice spells Light and Dark, to learn about wandless combat, both magical and Muggle. They had even used the time to research unknown spells.

It was Daphne who found the solution to Harry's challenge. She leapt and tossed the book into the air, before catching it. Draco and Harry looked on, both curious by her outburst and a little wary. Daphne commented, "I was researching for the cure for werewolves when I found a note leading to a book written in 1765, _Magickal Perils_ by Stradiva Gnute. In that book I found the account of a man who implanted his son with a deep compulsion to help people, to run into danger, to be a hero. Ten years later he realized the futility of the spell, he repented and tried to take it off the young man. It says here that the compulsion can be cured as long as the caster wills it so, it only requires some swishes and flicks and a _Finite Incantatem_."

Daphne and Draco were elated, they soon noticed, however, that Harry was moody and downcast. When asked why, he replied, "Dumbledore is dead. Who will undo the spell?"

Daphne replied, "Harry, we have a perfectly serviceable Dumbledore who is bound to the Hell painting. He can be persuaded to retire the cast if we insinuate that we will put him in a worse landscape."

Harry smirked in a decidedly Slytherin way.

Draco left to write a note to Severus and get him to send the Hell portrait with a hopefully subdued Dumbles. Draco fought hard not to include any leading questions about Healer Iolande, he didn't want to jinx the situation.

Three days later, after an irate Severus sent them a scorching missive upbraiding them for making difficult the delivery by not taking into account the _Fidelius_ charm, the painting arrived, delivered by a seemingly impressive squadron of owls. You could easily distinguish which were the Malfoy owls, because they were primping and glaring at the others, and the school owls just took everything nonchalantly and kept on doing their thing.

When Harry saw the painting, he shuddered. It was really hellish. After Draco and Daphne spoke in low tones to a haggard-looking Dumbledore, who had lost the sparkle in his eyes, he accepted to end the spell.

Eventually Draco sent a wand to the painting. Dumbledore looked at Harry wanly and accompanied by the correct swishes and flicks, said, "_Finite Incantatem!"_ The compulsion ended and Harry immediately noticed that he felt lighter, freer than ever before. He was still curious about some things, but he no longer had the unendurable compulsion to try to find out all mysteries, all dangers that hovered in the horizon.

Then Draco used the Elder wand to vanish Dumbledore's wand. He put the painting back in the case it came from and motioned for the House elves to come and safely lock the case away.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

In the last night of their stay in Canada , Draco led Harry to the bedroom, where the Gryffindor Seeker saw the voluptuous figure of a naked Daphne. He got hard very rapidly, especially considering the pressure on his backside from Draco's groin.

Draco growled and said, "Time to pay up!" He pushed Harry into the bed, where he fell onto Daphne and started kissing her. Harry could feel the spell cast by Draco as it vanished all their clothes.

Soon he was looking down into green eyes, as passionate as his, and he felt Draco guide his cock into Daphne. Afterward he felt Draco's member breach him, he opened his legs wider to permit easier access, and he continued riding Daphne, while he was being ridden in turn.

Sometimes he could get a little lazy and just react to Draco's plowing him, but Daphne demanded his attention. He was in seventh heaven. He knew he had the blonds like no one else would, they were _his,_ and he was _theirs._ It was all he could ever want. It was raw and intimate, but it was also tender, caring and loving.

Soon he was sure that Daphne climaxed and he proceeded to do the same, clenching around Draco's tool, which caused the Slytherin Seeker to finally come.

Eventually they all fell asleep cuddled in each other's arms. Harry, surrounded by his blonds; Daphne, enclosed by her Seekers; and Draco, encircled by his beloved green eyes.

tbc

_Happy Christmas! _


	30. Draco's Detour

_Who will provide the grand design?__  
____What is yours and what is mine?__  
____'Cause there is no more new frontier__  
____We have got to make it here_

_We satisfy our endless needs and__  
____justify our bloody deeds,__  
____in the name of destiny and the name of God_

_And you can see them there,__  
____On Sunday morning__  
____They stand up and sing about__  
____what it's like up there__  
____They call it paradise__  
____I don't know why__  
____You call some place paradise,__  
____kiss it goodbye__  
_(The last resort, _Don Henley, Glenn Frey_)

In the morning they made their way to the airport and boarded the Learjet. Draco unceremoniously pulled out a laptop and started to type in it, sending messages to the main office.

Daphne was curious, and after Draco tried to explain how it worked, and failed miserably, she turned to Harry for an explanation. The Gryffindor valiantly explained the concept of the web and personal computing, when he'd gotten to a good part, he was chagrined to note that Daphne had fallen asleep.

The flight was long, and they stopped in Puerto Rico to refuel. Draco eventually stopped working and took Daphne and laid her to rest on the bedroom.

They landed in Rio. After checking with the Muggle authorities about the timing of the flight continuing to Manaus, they got off the plane and into the Brazil night. It was full of life, smell and sounds. People seemed to be especially raucous, or maybe that was a side effect of the Translation charms Draco insisted they use.

Daphne was at first a little leery of mingling with the Muggles, but after visiting the seaside she was won over fairly quickly. In fact, she and Draco made a striking couple in the beaches. Their alabaster skin hardly tanned, their blond locks invariably attracted the attention of the people. Draco had a chiseled look, and Daphne got a wonderfully slim and yet voluptuous figure, together with the golden-hued, black-haired and muscular Gryffindor, they made a striking Silver trio.

Harry was delighted with being in the seashore, sunbathing, and swimming in the ocean. He'd never been able to do any of those things. When the blonds noticed his glazed looks and inquired why he was so spaced out, he told them the reasons why. The Slytherins fumed and wanted to personally _AK_ the Dursleys and Dumbles.

When they calmed down they encouraged Harry to do all those things he'd read about. He made a small sand castle, even tried to bury Draco under sand. Later Harry asked his blonds to go with him on a swim. He realized that his constant urge to seek danger seemed to be abating. Before, he would've swam without a care in the world, but now he recognized that it might be dangerous, and wanted to have back-up. Draco offered to go with him, after Daphne – suspiciously – complained about pain.

They swam for half an hour, and when they were getting back and walking on the beach, Harry suffered cramps. Immediately he was scooped up by Draco's strong arms and taken to Daphne. She cast a diagnostic spell on him and gently chastised him, "Harry, you shouldn't have eaten all those things. I know you like Brazilian food and _Nhoque_, but if you're going to swim you have to be more careful with this."

They spent that day in the beach. When twilight came, they retreated to a small brook that emptied into the sea. The Silver trio sat quietly with their legs in the water, as the night slowly came into view. Draco cherished these Southern nights because he was able to see many stars he would not normally see, like the Southern Cross. Astronomy was one of his favorite subjects, especially considering his family's penchant for naming offspring after stars or constellations.

Harry suddenly noticed that the water of the brook seemed to be filled with light! Maybe there was a spell being cast, and maybe some unknown wizards were waiting to do mischief to them!

When he alerted the others about the problem and offered his suspicions, Draco calmly stepped in. He said, "Do not worry, Harry! The light is not caused by our type of magic. What you are seeing is the product of microscopic animals called plankton, which in this case turns out to be luminescent. It's entirely natural, and it is a stark reminder that the magic of Nature supersedes ours quite easily."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

The next day they left their hotel and boarded the Learjet on a flight to Manaus. After the uneventful journey, they changed planes and went to a dilapidated-looking private plane. The owner looked surprisingly like Hagrid, if he were of normal size. His name was Ernesto Jobim, and he was a warm fellow. They transferred their belongings, which were minimal on Draco's instructions, boarded the plane and promptly were airborne.

After Harry decided not to care anymore about the wild see-sawing movements of the plane, he was entranced by the land they were flying over. He saw the greenest color of the world, perhaps even more than his and Daphne's eyes, and the silver markings of a river flowing below them.

They landed in a makeshift landing strip. They got out, took up their baggage and Ernesto heartily shook their hands and offered his wishes for a good stay. They boarded a Jeep which was waiting at the side of the landing strip. A woman saluted them cockily, he was María Asunción Peres, and she would guide them where they wanted to go. María was easygoing, gentle with her questions and a fountain of knowledge about the region.

She drove for two hours, taking care in handling the seemingly impassable roads, and the perilously leaning trees. Eventually they reached a clearing, María stopped the Jeep, got them out with their luggage, and handed Draco an old map of Brazil. She said, "That's your portkey. It will take you where we agreed when you say 'forest.' To get out you have to touch it again and say 'Rio,' it'll take you to your hotel in Rio."

Harry was angry, "We could have taken the portkey since the beginning and saved us all the trouble of the different planes!"

María answered unemotionally, "The portkey can only operate within the forest itself. We laid the strictures ourselves when we were advised that the Dark Lord planned to send an army here and train it, seeing how no one would know anything until it was too late. With this safety clause, the forest lost its attractiveness to the Dark Lord, because he would have to send his minions and spend all that time and effort just getting here."

Harry blushed and just nodded.

Draco, Harry and Daphne grabbed their luggage and touched the map. Draco said, " Forest." They were transported, and Harry again felt the lurch and the pull on his navel.

They appeared in a clearing, they could see all around them a verdant wall, touched with brown and in the distance they could hear the rumbling of a mighty river.

Draco started taking something out of his endless bag and put it in the ground. He swished and flicked his wand as he said the incantation that would cause the tent to erect itself. Draco would have done it himself, but his last attempts at manually building it ended up with him getting almost suffocated and being trapped by several parts of the tent. Only Daphne's help had got him out scot free, and her smirk had been too much to bear.

When the tent was ready, Draco bade his mates to enter. He busied himself preparing coffee. He served a clearly dumbfounded Harry and Daphne and had to rib them a little, "Why are you looking so surprised? I have known how to do chores for years now, and I don't mind preparing some refreshment for my mates."

Draco continued, "All around us is the green forest, the Amazon Rainforest. We have spent some wonderful times in the cities of North America. They depict civilization at its utmost peak, the industrial will of the New World. They show what the world can aspire to some day."

"However, in the heart of South America lies the land that ultimately will determine the fate of the world. I'm sorry, Harry, but the fate of the world was not decided when you got rid so effectively of Voldemort, and neither was it assured when I disarmed the Protection Charm. That fate is solved every day, all over the world. Yet the world needs this Rainforest. It is here that the battle to ensure the survival of the species is waged as we speak. It is an old battle between greed and wisdom, between expediency and true far-seeing."

"I have set plans in motion to preserve part of the forest. Political pressure will be brought to bear. Still, I'm convinced it won't be enough. Politicians will surrender the position of their constituencies for money or power, statutes will be forgotten or broken, and the hungry developers will lay claim to the forest. If they do, it is a harsh world that waits for us when the forest cannot do its job, which is simply to provide us with clear air."

Draco carefully led them out to the clearing. He continued, "You may wonder why we are here. I intend to do something practical and sneaky about this." Draco rubbed his Malfoy signet ring and asked for the presence of Griphook to discuss some affairs.

There was a pop of Goblin apparition and Griphook appeared next to Draco, he bowed to him and to Daphne, but when he saw Harry, he gritted his teeth and merely nodded.

Although the presence of a goblin on the Amazon was sobering, Draco went on as if it were business as usual. He said, "Griphook, I have need of your help. I know circumstances have changed somewhat concerning my companions, but I know that I can count on the goblin's sense of honor. Has the land been bought?"

Griphook replied, "As you instructed me, Lord Malfoy, we bought the plots of land you wanted. Upon a map they form a checkered pattern, no one suspects that all the land was bought by one individual."

Draco smirked and continued, "Then we will proceed."

He spoke to Daphne and Harry, "When I was a little child, Mother would sometimes grab a book at random and read from it whatever struck her fancy. One day she read me a memoir of Santiago Malfoy, where he speaks of the ancient tale of Atlantis. This ancestor was convinced that the stories were correct and Atlantis had really existed, he postulated that a tiny part still remained. It later occurred to me to wonder how a whole island could disappear."

"Later in life I was able to do some checking onsite and found that the island of Azkaban may have been part of Atlantis once. I submit to you that Atlantis was put under a charm quite similar to_ Magnus Fidelius_. The outside world could not accede to the island, and the legends of it sinking into the sea grew. Incidentally, any outside observers present in the moment the charm activated would report their impression that the island visibly shrank and disappeared."

"Obviously you have to consider what the _Fidelius_ charm would mean to the whole island. It could not communicate outside, because if the people ever left, they wouldn't be able to come back. No news from outside was ever heard. The inhabitants must have grown cold and distrustful. Perhaps Atlantis lingers on, its residents having developed a civilization completely different than our own, perhaps their evolution has been so different as to defy comprehension."

"I mention this because I want to put under the _Fidelius_ charm a sizeable portion of the Amazon Rainforest, approximately the size of Wales . Thus protected, the forest would be free of the rapine of the developers. They would not be able to get there. I also intend to make the charm add 10 kilometers per year."

"There are no people living there, so there would be no disruptions."

Harry asked, "You mentioned that the charm would grow larger every year. Isn't it a little like the Protection Charm and its relentlessness?"

Draco answered, "The charm would grow, but when it reached the size of a major country, it would stop. At any rate in 150 years it will start to decay."

Draco called on his House elf Trini to come here, and together she, the goblin and Draco started the ritual.

When the time came to choose the Secret-Keeper, Draco chose himself, Daphne and Harry.  
They felt the wash of magic as it set the limits of the charm.  
Draco courteously said goodbye to Griphook and Trini. They went inside the tent, after setting up a magical zone around it to keep it free from jungle animals.

They were knackered, and promptly fell asleep. The strange sounds of the jungle didn't bother them much, because they were tired.

The next day, they all got up at approximately the same time. Apparently Daphne and Harry were eager to explore the forest, and Draco was curious too. He didn't take the usual time to get ready, seeing how the others were pestering him.

Daphne and Harry opened the tent and walked out laughing loudly – probably at him, he thought morosely - and then they suddenly shut up. This caused disquiet in Draco. He mentally chastised them and ordered them to show they were alive. Soon he could not take the suspense anymore and rushed out of the tent.

He found Daphne and Harry in the floor; they were covered by cloak-like beings, completely black. He shuddered as he recognized the Lethifolds. These creatures that smothered and ate their victims were impervious to magic, except the Patronus charm.

With a deep sense of foreboding, he took out the Elder wand and got ready to use the charm he hadn't used in the last 10 years. He mentally prepared the scene he wanted, of him and Harry and Daphne making sweet love in their Toronto home. The home he'd built with Green Eyes and Harry. He was ready to cast the spell when a memory rose up in his head, completely unbidden: Daphne and Scorpius and him, when he'd given Scorpius the broom. How happy Scorpius was, how they took that photo, to crystallize that moment forever. Now, instead of being disheartened by the betrayal that would occur, he was expecting a second chance to be a father. The memory brought then all the happiness that he always searched for desperately.

Draco swished elegantly and said lazily, "_Expecto patronum!"_ A large silver shape shot out of the wand and slowly coalesced into an animal.

Draco looked at the figure and commanded it to help Daphne and Harry. Inwardly Draco congratulated himself on having an imposing Patronus. He couldn't bear to think what he would have done if it had been, let's say, a doe, or a puppy or a squirrel.

Draco's Patronus made quick work of the Lethifolds and soon they were destroyed. Harry opened his eyes and gulped fresh air. He could see beside Daphne a silver figure, a magnificent bull. Harry sighed and muttered, "it figures."

Draco moved the two figures to the bed and forbid them to leave it. For lunch he brought pizza he'd kept frozen in the tent.

After he gave them a clean bill of health, he said, "It's obvious that now we have to get back. We are ill prepared to stay in the forest, there are magical and non-magical animals that would kill us. We did what we needed, and there is only one more thing to do. We know how resourceful our enemies are. The location of the land that acts as the world's lungs would seem to be a tempting prize. They might pressure us or break us into telling them this. I want us to use _Obliviate_ to forget that information."

"Don't worry, the _Obliviate_ will only cover the location of this part of the forest. We'll still remember everything that happened, just not that."

With Daphne's and Harry's consent, Draco cast _Obliviate minor _on each of them, erasing only the location of the Amazon Preserve. Harry eventually cast the other one on Draco.

They still remembered everything, just not the location of the Preserve.

Harry and Daphne stood still, nervously looking around them as if waiting for the other animals to pounce. Draco, with a swish of his wand, used the incantation that would fold the tent. After everything was correctly packaged and put away, the Silver trio embraced each other and their luggage and concentrating on the map, Harry said " Rio."

The portkey took them away from the Preserve they had created. That place would remain undisturbed by Mankind, perhaps becoming a source of legends with time, as happened with Atlantis.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco knew it was time, time to respond to the pull of home and blood and return to England . His mother would go into labor soon, Lucius and Andromeda could really use his help. He missed dreadfully his little brother Antares, and he was curious about Severus and Iolande. Hopefully they would get together soon.

They spent their last day in South America on the beach, they stayed up until the sun had retired and the moon risen, playing with the luminescent plankton. They spent a tranquil night, too wistful and contemplative to engage in other activities.

In the morning they took the Learjet and left the continent. It was a long journey, and they stopped at the Azores to refuel.

They reached Heathrow and parked in the section of executive jets. They passed customs, where a surprised-looking individual hastily stamped their passports and muttered that it was all right. Clearly he had recognized the Boy Who Lived and Lord Malfoy.

They got to a lounge and the Silver trio, after arranging with a Malfoy House elf to come and fetch the luggage, decided to Apparate to the Manor. They left.

They reappeared in the Manor, and were stunned. Antares was crying inconsolably, Lucius was downcast, and it was Andromeda who saw them and came over.

She said seriously, "I'm glad you are here, Draco. Your mother is having trouble with the birth."

tbc


	31. Birth and renewal

It seemed that Narcissa was unable to continue with the pregnancy, Andromeda informed Draco that the premature birth had been expected to take place in July 29th. It was now July 31st and induced labor hadn't occurred yet. Healer Iolande had requested the assistance of Madame Pomfrey. Together they had managed to find out disconcerting truths, which would be told by the Healer.

Healer Iolande turned out to be a petite woman, approximately 35 years old, with a slim figure and a soft, understanding face characterized by her blue eyes. She was calm and collected as she referred the history of Narcissa's pregnancy. She explained that she had insisted on bed rest due to the age of the mother and also results of analyses which seemed to indicate that there was some Dark magic remnant which may obstruct the later stages of the pregnancy.

Iolande Auerbach collected herself as she spoke to Draco, "I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy, but based on my results and those of Severus Snape, I concluded that Narcissa had been ingesting some potion lately that could conceivably act as an abortifacient. Matters have been brought to a head, and Severus suspected that her husband Lucius Malfoy was the one who was giving her the abortifacient potion."

Initially Draco wanted to go out to the other room and blast Lucius out of existence, at the last beat him and bar him from the Manor. Still, there were several things that did not fit. By the conditions of the Obedience Vow, Lucius could not harm another Malfoy. Draco muttered softly "_Legilimens"_ and lightly skimmed the Healer's memories regarding his mother.

He saw Iolande in the Manor, talking to Narcissa, going to Hogwarts and conversing with Severus. He observed minutely this conversation, and came to the conclusion that she was not talking to the real Snape. The deception was well done, so that most people would have fallen for it. Watching this little reunion, Draco noticed a House elf skulking around. He looked extremely suspicious.

Collating the facts, Draco came to a disturbing result. He asked Iolande, "Have you determined what the potion is?"

Iolande dimly nodded. "I've spoken to Severus and asked him to prepare the counter."  
Draco asked, "Did the conversation take place in Hogwarts?"  
Iolande replied, "No, it was here."

Draco breathed a little easier. He said, "I will do something about it. My father is innocent of this charge. I need you to stay with Mom and keep her away from House elves. One or more of them are behind this attempt to kill her."

Draco took Daphne and Harry to a side room and explained the situation to them. He begged them to look over Narcissa and his family. He asked them to ascertain a way to gauge the loyalty of the House Elves.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

Tired of waiting, Draco went to the Great Hall in Hogwarts. He loudly asked for the House elves to appear there. When they popped in, all 50 of them, he started, "It has come to my attention that one or more of you are behind the attempt to kill my Mother. I don't have time to play detective with you, so I have decided to make a gift of the lot of you to Perseus Lestrange, brother-in-law of my late aunt Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Of course the Lestranges are known for their callous disregard of elves, but I really don't have time to bother with you lot. You know where he is, so go to him right now!"  
The elves were wailing, they knew how ruthless the Lestranges were. They also knew they had to obey the commands of the owner.

An icy voice drawled menacingly, "Aren't you going a little too far, Draco?" asked the Headmaster. Draco turned to look at him searchingly, hoping to gauge whether he was the real one or not. Draco countered with, "Have you finished it?"

Snape replied, "Yes, I have it here." He pulled out a green vial from his robe and handed it over to Draco. "She should take it at once." Draco could only think of a sure way to solve the quandary of whether Snape was genuine or not. He muttered "_Legilimens_" and prepared to inspect Snape's mind. He knew that the person who appeared to be supplanting Severus would not have his skill with _Occlumency._ He was counting on that.

He found sturdy mental walls that briefly trapped him inside Severus' mind, to be summarily ejected from it. Snape looked at him frothing, ready to upbraid him, when Draco stopped him, "I will tell you later why I did that, Severus. Now I have to save Mom! Suffice it to say that someone posing as you spoke with Iolande and poisoned her mind against Lucius!"

He Apparated straight out of Hogwarts and into the Manor.

He ran to his mother's room and found Iolande, Pomfrey, Lucius, Harry and Daphne sitting around her prostrate form. He handed over the vial to Iolande and she gave it to Narcissa.

Later Draco went to comfort a distraught Antares. Not even his temperamental plushies could keep him from being very worried about his mom. His hair was green, and when Draco had rocked him to and fro, he appeared to fall asleep finally.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The potion started working immediately. Narcissa's color returned to normal and she was able to begin having a normal labor. Iolande and Madame Pomfrey finally managed to drag the Silver trio out of the room after threatening them with Narcissa's ire. It was around 11:30 pm on July 31st when the new Malfoy was born, and immediately set to crying, albeit weakly.

Lucius, Andromeda, Draco, Daphne and Harry stormed into the room and were gushing over the small blond baby. Of course Draco was back on his relentless campaign to call the baby Deneb. By this time all the others were so bamboozled that they failed to mount any effective resistance whatsoever.

Draco asked Harry what it felt like to have a brother with the same birthday. Harry looked flustered and said intelligently, "Hmmm?"  
Draco replied impatiently, "Come on, Harry. This is your newest brother. I say newest because you have another one, Antares. Face it, Harry, you didn't lose a godson, you gained a little brother!" "Now you have another one, who so happened to be born on the same day as you."

Harry mused "Born as the seventh month dies…"  
Draco asked, "What do you mean?"  
Harry answered, "That is part of the Prophecy, the one that foretold my fight against Voldemort. 'Born of parents who thrice defied the Dark Lord,' or so. Deneb's birth would satisfy part of the Prophecy, as did mine and Neville's."  
Draco continued, "Mother and father defied the Dark Lord. Not openly or they would have been killed instantly, but full of guile and Slytherin cunning. So that part of the Prophecy is also valid for Deneb."

"What you should know about Prophecies is that you can't control them. _They_ control you. Let's hope that you fulfilled it and we can now move ahead."

"Moving on to happier matters, events today kept us from properly celebrating your birthday. So tomorrow we will enjoy it."

Once he made sure that Narcissa and Deneb were taken care of, he went to fetch Antares and put him in a bed he conjured next to Narcissa's. The little Metamorphmagus needed to feel the presence of his mother nearby so he could be at peace. Of course Draco's marvelous plan had the glaring fault that it did not consider the fact that the toddler could walk now, however unsteadily. So when Draco, Daphne and Harry went to a side room to talk, they were interrupted by a blond-green-raven-haired little boy who stomped into the room shouting gleefully, "Dwa!"

Draco gave up and took the toddler in his arms, talking to him about his mother and little brother. Eventually Antares was ready to have his meal, but before that he wanted to have his plushie Griff.

Harry and Daphne watched this trying hard to contain their snorts of laughter. To them it was obvious that Draco was wound around Ant's fingers. However, when Antares looked at them beseechingly, they hurried to get his meal and apple juice.

Eventually the Silver trio was free to begin with the threat assessment. Draco told about his conversation with Iolande, and his observation that Snape had been supplanted and a House elf was helping the enemy.  
He told them about summoning the elves and ordering them to go to Perseus Lestrange. Harry looked a little taken aback, but he kept his silence and merely nodded.

Draco continued, "The whole situation seems to have been designed to make me lose my temper and blame my father, perhaps even killing him or banishing him from the family. Harry, Daphne, the _modus operandi_ invariably reminds me of Granger."

"I think she has found a way to leave the Chamber. She obviously has made inroads among the elves. The Manor wards probably are not resistant to elf Apparition, and she was able to order the Elves to come here and dose mother with the poison."

"Granger is too dangerous to leave around anymore."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco Apparated out of the Manor and to the home of Perseus Lestrange. Although he was a part of the Lestrange family, Perseus was indebted to Draco and he was wont to follow his directives.

When he got there, he went to the dining hall and could see the distraught elves as they bemoaned their fates. Draco coughed and said, "Are you ready to see the error of your ways? Will you tell me who betrayed me? If you don't I will leave you here to be the subject of Perseus' experiments!"  
The elves wailed some more. Five of them caught a haggard, shifty-looking one and pushed him to the front, saying, "He is the traitor!"  
Draco interrogated the elf and found out that he had indeed poisoned Narcissa. He knew the identity of the would-be murderer as Mrs. Grangy.

He said to the elves, "You can go back to Hogwarts now, all except this worm here! If someone tries to blackmail you, you can go to the Headmaster or me. I assure you nothing will be worse than incurring my ire, as this pitiful elf here has done. Go and be vigilant!"

Draco ordered the elf to remain silent and avoid using magic. He Apparated both to Hogwarts and proceeded to make his way to the room where the Mirror of Triumph was. Once they had gone into the room, he pushed the elf until he was near the Mirror and then muttered an incantation, pointing the Elder wand toward the unsuspecting elf. The magical creature was sucked into the Mirror as he grasped what was going on.

Draco had an inkling about how Granger moved out of the Chamber. He made his way to Myrtle's bathroom and eventually, after saying hello to a fretful ghost, he ordered the Chamber to open up. He also ordered the Chamber to interdict any transportation including Apparition or discontinuities.

He made his way to Granger's room. He entered it and cast an _Immobulus_ charm on the figure of Granger.  
He announced angrily, "I don't know how you got your powers back, or how you broke that elf, or even where you got the Vanishing Cabinets. I'm tired of you suddenly popping up and trying to kill the Malfoys. I will get rid of you today, Chipmunk, and your beloved Golden Trio will not help you."

Draco espied the Vanishing cabinet and using a shrinking charm, reduced it and then pocketed it. He made his way out of the Chamber, moving Granger's body with _Mobilicorpus_. Fortunately it was summer vacation and the castle was free of its student population.

Eventually they got to the Mirror room. Draco put Granger's body down and unfroze her. Granger started to shout when a weary Draco said, "_Imperio!"_ Hermione tried desperately to withstand the orders, using her innate intelligence and acumen. It proved useless against the razor-like edge of Draco's will, fueling the curse with the power to utterly control her. Unfortunately Hermione still had an ally that Malfoy did not know about. Draco was felled down by a _Petrificus totalus_ cast by Theophilus Nott, a cousin of Theo's who resented Malfoy for supposedly helping to kill Theo.

Hermione gloated as she stood up, but then a voice drawled lazily, "I think someone needs me." The voice uttered the incantation to turn Hermione into a chipmunk. The voice also intoned suavely, "_Crucio_," and set Nott in pain for six long minutes, after having immobilized the chipmunk and liberated Draco from the freezing curse.

Draco looked up to see the smirking face of Daphne, who said, "I knew you were heading into danger, and I had to follow you and keep you safe. When you left, the Conception charm went haywire, so I knew you were in dire peril. After speaking with and cajoling Myrtle, I found out you'd gone to the Chamber. I know how your mind works, and it seemed to me that you were thinking of punishing the chipmunk with the Mirror, so I came here, I hid and saw all that happened."

And in that instance, Draco's life was saved by the swift action of his Green Eyes.

Daphne transformed the chipmunk back into Granger. She started shouting, but then Draco ordered Granger to shut up and get near the Mirror. Then he ordered her to touch it. He directed his wand toward her as he muttered the incantation that would suck Granger into the Mirror. He bitterly mused that the Chipmunk should feel lighter, going into exile together with one of her beloved House elves.

Afterwards he ordered a House elf to take down the Mirror and ship it abroad.  
A very tired Draco and Daphne made their way back to the Manor, having dealt with a grave threat to the integrity of their family.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry was not very happy that they had gone alone and faced Granger, but they tried to convince him of the utter necessity to handle the threat rapidly. The Chipmunk had turned out to be so much more than anyone anticipated, and apparently her resources were endless.

Harry wanted to know how Hermione had wreaked all that havoc. Draco answered, "In part, it is my fault. When I was in Azkaban, the despair and sadness weighted me down so much that my magic could somehow rearrange itself and escape the confines of an old spell cast to bind my powers. Obviously in this time Granger suffered something similar and could throw off the shackles I imposed on her. I should have taken this possibility into account."

"Whatever else she was, she was relentless and driven. Her only contact was the elf who brought the meals, and it would seem as if she charmed him into helping her. I can make the conjecture that the elf contacted a portrait of Dumbledore and the old coot told him where to get the Vanishing Cabinets. With them, Granger could get out of the Chamber and into Hogwarts, bypassing any other exit."

Harry prepared to chastise them thoroughly, after earning a small smile from Daphne, but Draco motioned for them to shut up. Before they could rejoinder, he indicated the room next to theirs. They all went to the door and tried to peek into the other room.

They saw the Headmaster speaking with Healer Iolande. They had cast privacy wards, but Draco took out the Extendable Ears he kept with him. The mischievous Silver trio prepared to listen in to the Headmaster's conversation.  
Severus said, "I'm indebted to you for saving Narcissa's life, Iolande. If she had died the Malfoys would have been very hurt, though I'm a little upset that you couldn't discern that I was being supplanted in that conversation."  
Iolande replied, "I don't know you that well, Severus, though I'm willing to try."

Snape said, "Ioly, come and visit me at Hogwarts! You could help Pomfrey, if you need an excuse." Draco and Harry did all they could to control their snickers at hearing Severus call anyone 'Ioly.' Eventually they were interrupted in their enjoyment when Daphne swatted them upside the head. They continued listening.

Iolande commented, "You could visit me in my private practice, Severus. I don't intend to stop my work just because I have found someone. We'll have to compromise."  
She continued, "Of course, I don't intend to have you perform all the sacrifices. I will do my share, just as long as we do it together."  
Then there were sounds of kissing, passionate kissing at that. While Draco and Harry were astounded, Daphne took out her ubiquitous camera and got some photos.

Draco's smug smirk indicated how happy he was with the situation. What he wanted for Severus was for the man to live free for once, free of the ghosts of his past, of Lilly Potter. It appeared he had found someone, with a little hope, they might construct a future that included some happiness.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry, Daphne and Draco went to visit Narcissa. They found her looking weak, she had beside her Antares and Deneb was on his crib, surrounded by a magical field which acted just like the Muggles' incubators, it kept his skin hydrated and supplied him with nutrients. Tomorrow he would be able to ingest Narcissa's milk, which would strengthen his body with antibodies, and his magic would be firmly cemented to his family's.

Narcissa looked at them seriously and tried to muster a smile, but she didn't succeed very well. Draco informed her of the rough outline of the plot and the punishment meted out to the wrongdoers. Narcissa nodded and smiled wanly, then she fell asleep.

Draco signaled Iolande and made his way out of the room. Once outside, he asked her point-blank, "Is my mother all right? She just looked so frail, so sick still, that I despair."

Iolande answered professionally, "It's normal in this case, Draco! Your mother suffered daily doses of a poison designed to make her have a miscarriage. That she held on to her baby is a tribute to her character and magic. She was near death, Draco. There was even one moment when I asked her to choose between her life and her unborn son's and she immediately chose to save the life of her son."

Iolande continued, "But I assure you that she is strong, she will recover fully. She will probably spend most of the first days sleeping. Let her. It will help to cleanse her system. The presence of her sons is also beneficial."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

Seeing her mates look so saddened broke Daphne's heart. She herded them outside the room and tried to cheer them up, talking about Severus and Iolande.

She continued to nudge them towards the kitchen. They entered and sat down, and soon saw the door open and Neville and Ginny came in. Daphne informed them that she had invited them for Harry's belated birthday celebration.  
Neville and Ginny greeted the Silver trio effusively, especially Harry, who seemed to be near tears. They soon fell to talking about their former classmates, and about their careers. Neville was considering taking the Herbology position and teaching at Hogwarts. Ginny was firmly convinced that she'd make a great professional Quidditch player.

For the meal, they had Harry's favorite dishes, including some new ones from Brazil .  
At the end, the elves took out a great chocolate birthday cake with 18 candles. They lit up the candles, Harry made a wish and blew them out. It was all right, thought Harry.

Though it didn't feel right when Harry felt a hand on the top of his head, suspiciously small, who pushed his face into the cake! He could not let such an action go unpunished, especially because his glasses were now full of chocolate! He hurriedly grabbed a swift chunk of cake and launched it toward the blonde interloper. Only on second look, the interloper was a girl, and this blond was definitely a man!

An irate Draco got a hold of a piece of cake and threw it to a smirking Daphne, managing to catch her full in the face. Neville and Ginny cautiously made their way from the melee and rolled inwardly their eyes.  
After Draco cast impeccable Cleaning charms, they had another cake, which had been prepared beforehand by the elves.

Neville gave Harry his birthday gift, which looked to be a Remembrall. Neville explained that it was charmed to show selected moments of Harry's journey through Hogwarts. Harry hugged Neville.  
Ginny's gift turned to be practical: a set of Quidditch gloves made of dragonhide. Excellent for games in any weather condition.

Daphne's gifts turned out to be unexpected. She said, "_Accio_ books!" And two books flew to her, she handed one to Harry and one to Draco. Inside, they could see the history of their relationship told by Wizarding photos, beginning with the one where Draco was asleep on top of Harry and the contrast was beautiful, they could see their first kiss, the first time Draco kissed Daphne, when Harry kissed Daphne, they could even see photos of Draco purportedly kissing madly the plushies, which apparently were taken when he was under the _Confundus_ charm.

Harry and Draco were pleased and felt extremely cherished by the thoughtfulness of their mate. Daphne explained, "I wanted to take all the photos I could of all of us, knowing as I do now how valuable they can be, if only to remind me of the beauty of having you for the second time, Draco and you for the first time, Harry."

Draco said huskily, "I have something for you, Daphne. _Accio_ ring!" Draco grabbed the ring and kneeled in front of Daphne and asked her, "Will you marry me?"

Daphne cried and sobbed and finally collected herself enough to say, "Yes!" after thwacking his head. Next she put the corresponding ring on Draco's finger, as he had done with her. Harry looked at them fondly, although a bit sadly. He felt left out.

Draco continued saying, "_Accio_ bond rings!" Three rings appeared, Draco pocketed them and gave one to Harry, saying, "Will you bond with me in a year and a day, Harry?"

Harry could just shout, "Yes!" He jumped on Draco and started kissing him furiously, wrapping his long legs around Draco's waist and putting his arms around his back.

Eventually Draco asked the same question of Daphne, she answered positively and also jumped on him and kissed him madly.

Draco invited them to see the twilight. They made their way to the Manor gardens and just walked around. When it was dark enough, Draco gave the signal and the fireworks started.

The magical fireworks told a story of love, coming from unexpected directions and finding sudden anchor, growing and touching other people. No matter the permutations, the love would remain. Figures changed shape and still remained united. At the end, the names: "Malfoy, Potter, Greengrass" were formed and all appeared well, until the 'Malfoy' name started to crowd on in the 'Potter' one and tried to smother it. Eventually the winner was the 'Greengrass' name.

Harry and Daphne beheld Draco with narrowed eyes. The blond explained that he had delegated the execution of the fireworks to an interested party, Severus Snape. Draco had the disquieting thought that the Headmaster knew they had listened to the conversation with 'Ioly' and was trying for revenge in a Slytherin way.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco, Daphne and Harry spent a lot of time in Narcissa's room, taking care of a suddenly temperamental Antares and watching fondly the newest Malfoy, Deneb.

Andromeda proved very helpful in taking care of Antares. The Metamorphmagus somewhat resented his newest brother, and it was only after they explained to him that Deneb did not have his powers, that he apparently accepted him into the family. He even gave him part of his stuffed bear collection, the Muggle-dressed bear – as Draco was pleased to note – but the magical field did not permit them to touch the baby.

Antares hummed and huffed, he crossed his hands behind his back, trying to fight off the impulse to touch that field. He was not the only one, as everybody wanted to reach Deneb and hold him, but the field would not permit it for today.

tbc


	32. New Horizons

The next day, the Malfoys were ready to launch themselves at the crib holding Deneb. Narcissa had withstood Draco's pout and Antares' temper tantrum, even Lucius' scowling, she had not permitted them to touch Deneb yet, until the Healer said it was safe to do so.

Iolande came into the room and after a perfunctory examination, opened the crib and took out the small baby. Deneb spent one hour in the morning and in the afternoon being held by his loving family.

When it was Harry's turn, he held the small bundle with great care. He could see the grey eyes and shining blond hair of a Malfoy. He noticed a small, strawberry-shaped mark on Deneb's throat. When he called Iolande's attention to this fact, she replied, "It's the remnant of the Dark magic, Harry. It seems that Lucius suffered some curses and tortures that affected his magic and his ability to procreate. Eventually these strictures faded and he was able to father a son, but there was Dark magic that sought to thwart Deneb's birth, or failing that, to use him. I'm pleased to say that he withstood the assault very well. We managed to get rid of some of the Dark magic, but the mark you saw is what remained."

Harry felt a frisson of fear, the strawberry-mark was what remained of magic cast by the Dark Lord. It could then be argued that the Dark Lord had inadvertently marked Deneb as an equal.

HRHRHRRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco retired to his room to write to his Muggle correspondents. This was the group that wanted desperately to save the Earth, and he was in the horns of a dilemma. He could play the trump card of the Amazon Preserve and win their allegiance forever, but he knew that if he did that he would ultimately create the conditions that would destroy the Preserve. The news would go out about an untouched expanse of virgin land, and everybody would rush to get to this _El Dorado._ That would surely throttle the Preserve effectively.

He was left with the option of winning their favor slowly, trying to nudge them toward more conciliatory viewpoints. It was hard work, but he was patient when he had to be.

In the middle of composing a letter to Percy Weasley, his father entered the room. Lucius inquired politely, "What are your wishes concerning the Chief Warlock's job, Draco?"

Draco answered succinctly, "You should fulfill it with your customary finesse. I expect you to help protect the purebloods and preserve their traditions, without being too blatantly anti-Muggleborn. You will preserve the law. You will help safeguard the lives of the Malfoy family, including my mates; you will also preserve the world, and if there is a conflict, the world must have preference."

Lucius hid a grimace, nodded and turned towards the door. Draco said briskly, "One moment, Lucius, I have two words to say to you."  
Draco took out the Elder wand and pointed it toward Lucius, he swished elegantly and drawled lazily, "_Catenas nula!"  
_The spell that bound Lucius' powers was revoked. Lucius could now use all his considerable magic.  
Draco explained, "Your full powers are now free for you to use, Lucius. I hope the period you spent being bound led you to ponder the choices you made in binding my own magic when I was a toddler. At any rate, I could not in good conscience keep you bound without endangering the father of my brothers, which I do not want to do."

Draco continued sadly, "I expect you to protect my brothers at all costs and put their welfare above yours, something you miserably failed to do with me."

Lucius looked like he was going to answer, but he took a look at Draco's stern visage and decided to talk later. He left.

Presently Harry barged in, after narrowly escaping being commandeered by Andromeda to take care of Antares. Draco was about to chastise him for interrupting him when Harry kissed him soundly, seriously wanting to make them one flesh. Harry's husky voice sounded insinuatingly sensual, "I want to taste you, right now."

Harry opened Draco's robes and took care to remove the underpants. Soon Draco's member was in full display and Harry licked his lips enticingly. He rained kisses on the crown, and slowly took the head in.  
Harry hungered for it all. During his sojourn in the Mirror, he had learned some tricks of the trade, and he could deep-throat effectively. He did so now, and drove Draco to ecstasy. Afterwards he sat on Draco's lap as his hands pleasurably tormented his cock and made him come almost violently.

After some time spent cuddling, Harry saw a strange box containing tubes and vials. He asked Draco what it was. The blond replied, "It's a package that Daphne ordered for Antares, it's a painting kit. However, Green Eyes forgot that he is too young to paint. Do you paint? You could use it." After some consideration, Draco added, "Or you could learn how to. There are painting rooms in the Manor with full implements for many types of painting. It could be your hobby, Harry!"

Harry started to use the painting kit lackadaisically, but grew increasingly fascinated by the interplay of colors, the brushes, and how it all slowly melded and became something else, something only he could bring forth. He lost count of the passage of time, and only the growling of his stomach put him back in the world. He looked at the two blonds, who were looking at him adorably confused, with a hint of pride.

Daphne immediately took the painting he had been working on and declared, "It's good, Harry. It shows raw talent. Whether it becomes real will depend on you and us. Draco has told me about the painting rooms here, and you won't go to them." Harry's face fell, and amid Draco glaring at Daphne, she managed to continue, "You won't go until you've mastered the basics. When you do, I'll personally lead you there." Then she kissed Harry, he eagerly kissed back. The sweet kisses with the blonde were delicious, tender yet passionate, something like the blonde herself. Harry looked for Draco, and found him writing assiduously. Really, the blond should lighten up!

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The next day they visited Deneb and Narcissa. Draco was pleased to see his mother more animated, and Deneb moving more. The little blond baby apparently was a package of energy, and as soon as he was in someone's embrace his own arms flung out, and it appeared like he was swimming or something.

Everyone was delighted with little Deneb, including his brother Antares. He got to hold him at last. Of course he sat on Draco's lap and as he held Deneb, Draco really held them both, but Antares was satisfied. In honor of the occasion, his hair was just as blond as Deneb's, and he gave him another of his plushies – Draco was pissed to note it was the bear with the wizard robes. He was on the brink of planning another Bear Stratagem, when he was mercifully distracted by Daphne, who took Deneb from him.

Harry just looked mesmerized at all the blonds. He had six blonds in the room with him, all of them kind of dazzled him with that display of blond hair. He muttered to himself, "_Accio _Daphne's camera!" and when it appeared he took several photos of the blonds. He also set up the camera so it would take photos of him with the xanthochroids.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry learned his art lessons with gusto. Daphne taught him everything she knew, as did Draco. Eventually they had to hire a tutor for him. Harry learned different techniques, like aquarelles, oils, pastels, the advantages of collage, the history of art. He was in seventh heaven learning to paint. He had an incredible eye for detail, for catching what was germane in a scene and putting it on the canvas, conveying the emotion to the observer. He had a sensibility that seemingly allowed him to create panoramas, paintings that told a beautiful, if sometimes tragic story. His upbringing allowed him to bring to the watcher's mind the magic of a scene, and also unexpectedly convey Muggle aspects without clashing in some fundamental way.

Eventually Daphne and Draco led him to the painters' rooms. He found canvas of all types, colors, brushes, all the implements for painting Muggle or magical pictures. His tutor taught him how to paint magical pictures, what the spells were that held a small sliver of the person's essence and how to mix it all together.

Daphne left later for Wizarding University. She wanted to become a Healer, and while there were some subjects she could take anywhere, some other topics required her to be in attendance at the University. It was the Sorbonne in Paris that she went to.  
She had the use of a portkey, so she was able to spend three evenings and nights per week at home. Some of them she spent with Draco, and some of them with Harry.

One day, Harry asked her worriedly if she was concentrating on her studies properly, and Daphne replied dangerously suave, "Of course, Harry. Draco has Healer training and sometimes we review my studies. Satisfied?" He gulped and nodded.

Draco spent a lot of time managing the Malfoy companies. He also had to cautiously guide the Ministry to strike a correct balance between Dark and Light magic, enough to keep research coming in, enough so the concealing wards still functioned efficiently.  
He also continued pressing for a stronger Secrecy statute to protect Wizarding secrets. He also tried to influence positively the Muggle fringe groups. It was tiring work at times. Fortunately he had Daphne and Harry to keep him balanced.

Narcissa rapidly grew better. In a very short time she was trying to walk, amid Iolande's scowling, Lucius' frown, Draco's pout and Antares' gleeful shouts. Even if everybody wanted her to rest more, Narcissa prevailed and took some steps. She announced to the frowning and pouting public, "I will give Deneb his milk, care to watch?" As soon as Iolande, Lucius and Draco understood what she meant, they hurriedly left. Only Antares was left. Narcissa gave breast milk to Deneb and Antares was kind of incensed, he didn't get to have that! It was unfair. He motioned impatiently for Narcissa to give it to him too, but she answered, "You are too old, Antares. Now it is your little brother that needs the milk. He needs it to grow stronger. But you are already strong. You will take care of your brother and yourself just fine. Do you want Dwa?"

Narcissa said brightly, "_Accio_ Dwa!" thinking that the spell would bring the dragon plushy. She had no idea that Antares meant the big dragon when he shouted Dwa!

Presently there was a thump in the door that alarmed Narcissa and the little blond boys. The door opened suddenly and an enraged Draco was forcibly levitated until he was left standing in front of Narcissa.

Draco stuttered and said, "Wh-what's up, mother? Why did you call me like this?"

Narcissa fought hard not to laugh, and explained, "I just _accio'd_ Antares' plushie, but it seems the spell got confused and it got you. I asked for Dwa."

Draco replied surly, "Antares calls me Dwa." Then he offered, "I can take Antares to his room, if you want. Or you could give me Deneb so he can sleep."  
Draco ended up with a seemingly disgruntled Deneb, while Antares, not to be outdone, jumped on his Dwa and nestled on his other arm.  
Narcissa looked at them with loving eyes, and muttered, "_Accio_ Daphne's camera!" She then proceeded to take many pictures of her three sons.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco was worried about his godfather. It seemed that Severus held deep feelings for Healer Iolande, so it behooved Draco as a good Slytherin to make sure that she was acting sincerely. He checked her credentials rigorously, taking into account the ability of some of his enemies to supplant a person. He didn't intend to fall for this trick anymore.

He made a special trip to the Ministry in London and met with Undersecretary Weasley. The added responsibility had been kind to Percy. He now had the _gravitas_ that lent force to his presence.

Draco read the report on Iolande Auerbach at leisure. Alsatian parents, excellent grades in Hogwarts, Healer School in Nantes. There was nothing extraordinary, it seemed that Iolande had spent time in Azkaban, treating some convicts ten years ago, other stays in Azkaban included five and one year ago. The diseases needed an experienced Healer, or a pandemic would be created. The authorities thought first about Iolande.

All in all, everything checked, and if Draco felt a small hunch, he was able to submerge it.

He made a detour to a Muggle bakery to buy chocolate cake for Harry and Daphne. Sighing inwardly, he bought an apple pie for Antares, Narcissa and Andromeda. It seemed all Blacks were in love with apples. In the spur of the moment, he decided to buy another chocolate cake and send it to Hogwarts, care of the Headmaster. He appended a note:

_Severus, this chocolate just begs to be eaten with someone you like! Come on, I know Iolande would love to go there and have dinner with you._

_DM _

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

But all good things must come to an end, and it happened in an entirely predictable way.

As Narcissa got better, she started to plan the wedding, however she didn't consult the younger blonde as she should have. Daphne retaliated and the Wedding war appeared to be on its way.

Draco tried to persuade a reluctant Harry to be his ally in that fight of the titanesses, but all he was interested in was Titian. He proved to be no force at all, muttering only that he wanted to be present to create a painting of the scene for posterity.

When Draco made a comment to Lucius, the elder blond observed wryly that maybe he should pout, it seemed to always work with his mother. Draco snorted and stomped away – elegantly. He was lamenting his luck when he was visiting Deneb and the irrepressible Antares tried to jump into his arms shouting Dwa!

A voice drawled lazily, "Having problems with your mother and bride?" Draco looked to his right and beheld the smirking face of Andromeda. He nodded wearily.  
Andromeda continued, "I remember the same thing happened when your mother got married. She and Lucius' mother had different ideas about the wedding. You must get them to talk about their ideas and compromise, or we'll be in hell."

"One tip, you can use Deneb and Antares as a distraction."

Draco started to deny it strenuously, but then he started visualizing a state of siege existing between Narcissa and Daphne. He capitulated rapidly.  
That night he invited Daphne to the kitchen, where they went and had some tea. Andromeda fulfilled her part by sending Narcissa, who appeared in the door with Deneb and Antares. Draco invited her in, saying, "Come in mother! Brothers, come in."

Narcissa and Daphne eyed each other warily. Draco sensed this, and took Deneb from his mother and gave him to Daphne. Daphne started cooing at him, rocking him to and fro and asking if he was ok. Narcissa's eyes grew wide at the show of tenderness, and she said, "I was wrong."  
Draco asked, "What do you mean?"  
Narcissa replied, "A day ago, when you appeared with the_ accio_, I took photos of my three sons. But I don't have three sons!"  
Draco answered nervously, "But you do!"

Narcissa explained, "No, I have four sons and a daughter! Thank you for reminding me of that."

Eventually the talk came to the wedding, and they had a frank discussion of what they wanted, what they expected to happen. A division of labor was agreed, and also a schedule was organized. They found out that they had pretty much the same ideas. The only unbridgeable portion seemed to be the dresses of the maids of honor. Each blonde had differing and exclusive views. Draco suggested they consult Iolande, and they agreed readily.

In the morning, a grumpy Draco had to deal with an insecure Harry.  
Harry asked, "Do you want me at the wedding?"  
Draco replied, "Sure, why not?"  
Harry answered sourly, "Because it is yours and Daphne's wedding, not mine!"

Draco sighed and commented, "Harry, I have told you that people watch eagerly the Malfoys, they would do what they could to get their paws in the money. To avoid an unclear situation, the Heir must be the product of a legitimate marriage."

Draco continued, "Also, you and Daphne and I will become bondmates soon. All offspring born of such a union are legitimately our sons and daughters. It's just that the Heir position must be unassailable. I love you both equally."  
Harry replied forlornly, "You love Daphne more, you call her Green Eyes! Sometimes, when I hug you or approach you, you shudder and shrink back from contact with me. Am I that undesirable?"

Draco held Harry's body delicately, and said calmly, "You know that I have forgiven you, what you did, completely. But I can't forget completely. My body remembers still and sometimes unbidden memories rise to the surface, and I shudder. I know this will go away with time. What is important is that we are here, despite of it all, willing to build a future, our future. I forgave you, Harry, because you were not that very much different from me, controlled by outside forces, forever forced to act a certain way or incur the wrath of others. Despite our differences, there has always been something inexorably calling me to you. I think it will be there eternally."

Draco continued a trifle impatiently, "Yes, I like her green eyes. I also like yours. She will always remain my Green Eyes." Before Harry pouted, he continued hastily, "And you, you are my Angel. Sometimes an angel from heaven to offer me redemption and hope and peace, sometimes a fallen angel that has trudged wearily on this Earth and is hoping to get back to Heaven."

"You will always have a piece of my heaven with you, Angel."

"And frankly, Angel, this idea that I love one of you more is ludicrous. Do you think I love Antares or Deneb more? No, I love them both the same."

To change topics and give himself time to calm down, Harry asked, feigning nonchalance, "Do you believe in prophecies, Draco?"

Draco replied briskly, "I believe that you make your own future, but I also know that the world is much more complicated than we understand, than we can ever understand."

"I am weary of prophecies, more specifically, of their translations. A prophecy might be construed as a message from the Universe to a group of people. The message is relayed through some means, generally a medium or Seer, and is invariably garbled in their delivery. A human brain cannot include the infinite."

"It cuts and adapts the message, and this low-quality end message is the prophecy that everybody else will take as the Holy Grail from now on, not understanding that for example, "the day" was really "a day" which completely changed the sense of the prophecy. Furthermore it can be that the prophecy, while being literally true, was understood completely wrong. It might occur in another country or in another time, it could also occur in non-linear time. As you can see, they are generally more trouble than they are worth."

"To summarize, prophecies might be nice and tight, but should be considered with a grain of salt."

Harry got up and, dragging Draco, led him to the studio he'd designed in the Manor. It was the place where he worked on his new projects, it had a very generous illumination, with windows that showed the main entrance, the gardens and the sides. When Draco pointed out the incongruities, Harry shrugged and simply said, "Magic." He showed Draco the posters he'd made of his new project, a landscape of the cliffs of Dover.

Then he showed him the unfinished painting. It was beautiful in its simplicity and stark use of colors, a veritable mix of the darker ocean colors with the very light cliff colors. At the top of the cliffs he could discern two blond figures. He approached the painting and squinting, recognized likenesses of himself and Daphne in the painting.

Calling Harry's attention to it, he responded briskly, "Yes, it is you and Daph, I'm going to add myself soon. We'll be in that cliff forever!"

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The next day, as Draco prepared to portkey to his offices in Diagon Alley to review some changes to the companies' budgets, he was interrupted by the slightly different sounding pop of goblin Apparition.

He looked back and saw Griphook, who bowed to him. Draco was no expert on goblin physiognomy, but he would wager that the goblin was in the grip of great passion, fear, perhaps even revenge.  
Draco asked nonchalantly, "What can I do for you, Griphook?"

The goblin replied, "I'm very sorry to bother you, Lord Malfoy, but I thought you should hear this firsthand from me. The Sword of Gryffindor is no longer in our possession!"  
Draco sat down hard. He said passionately, "But the enchantment was broken, it could not be called back to Hogwarts anymore!"

Griphook replied, "It didn't vanish due to any enchantment, Lord Malfoy. It was stolen from its vault at Gringotts! A goblin was killed in the attack, and we have uncovered information that points to two more goblins involved in a conspiracy to steal the Sword!"  
Griphook continued distractedly, "This is a great setback to goblin honor! I would have preferred it if the Sword just vanished, but to be so treacherously stolen, it is unheard of in goblin circles."

Draco agreed, and inside he felt a strange turmoil.

tbc

_AN: Happy New Year! _


	33. Wedding

Time passed; time enough for Harry's paintings to become very valuable objects. He grew to have a reputation as a keen observer of the intricacies of magical and mundane life. One day, Draco and Daphne, after the use of some judicious sneering and pouting, finally convinced him to use a blindfold.

He was Apparated side-along and presented with _Atelier Potter_, a studio facing the wharves of London, which just happened to have light of the best quality he'd ever seen. A large enough place to store his paintings and posters of the photos he took to prepare for the picture itself. Draco had ordered the elves to move his painting materiel here.

Harry turned to the blonds and said, "Thanks! I really appreciate it."

Daphne went up to him and embraced him, ending up with a heated kiss. Draco just approached and held his two green-eyed lovers in his arms.

Meanwhile, the preparations for the wedding went on, amidst the rising malaise and concern of Harry. One morning, when they were discussing it, Lucius asked Draco to allow the free movement of any persons to the Manor during the wedding. Harry asked what that was about and Draco replied that since time immemorial, when a Malfoy got married, any person could attend, even if they were enemies or Muggles. The wards were lowered and no harm could come to those who entered, of course, the guests had the same strictures, and if they broke them, they would be hurt.

One cold January morning, they received the visit of Goyle, Blaise, Millie, Pansy, Neville and Ginny. They fell to discussing the wedding, much to Harry's discomfort, and he hastily made his excuses and went out to the garden.

He heard footsteps behind him, he turned and beheld Pansy. She asked, "What's wrong, Harry?"

Harry replied a little desolately, "It's all about the wedding. Of course I'm happy for them, but it makes me think that I'll never be an equal in their eyes, if I'm not worthy of a wedding."

Pansy answered briskly, "They have to get wed, Harry, if they want to have an heir that will inherit the Malfoy Estate in its entirety and without legal problems. Of course you're not aware of the story of the Weston family. They were among the five wealthiest families in England . Phedrus Weston fell in love with a man and a woman, like you and your mates. He loved them so much he married both of them. In the Wizarding world there is no discrimination against same sex marriages, like the Muggles do. Ugh, how barbarians! At any rate, the Westons had a son. Unfortunately the fathers and mother died in an accident, and the child was poised to inherit the fortune, until the will was contested by innumerable contenders, who claimed the child was not Phedrus', that it was a child of his male partner. Those claims never ended, and eventually the Weston fortune was destroyed, given piecemeal to the greedy relatives. The son was well-off, but nothing to compare to the wealth of his father."

"Draco is intimately aware of such pitfalls, and will do what he can to avoid them. To appease the hyenas, he must be legally wedded to the mother of his son. He will also enter into a bond with you and Daphne. Magically the bond is just as strong as the marriage, it entitles your offspring to the protection and wealth of all of you."

"Draco likes tradition, but not when it interferes in his plans, however, even he must bow down to it from time to time. Do you know that in the event of his death, he leaves you a fifth of the Malfoy Estate?"

Harry shook his head.

Pansy continued, "Well, he does. He is fidgety, seeing the effect this is having on you. I'm sure he's tried to be supportive the only way he can, through acts, and not through words."

Harry remembered himself in that moment when he had donned the blindfold and been taken to his new studio, the great light and the fact it denoted Draco's care in a much more tangible and lasting way that any mere words could have.

Pansy left Harry then, and went to talk to her fellow Slytherins, who seemed a little too slow on the uptake, according to her tastes. She cornered the blonds and made sure they knew that Harry felt somehow inferior because they would not wed him.

The next day at lunch, Draco and Daphne talked with Harry. They told him that the wedding plans were progressing nicely, there were no important points in the agenda, Daphne had asked for a little vacation from the Sorbonne and they were free to do as they wanted, seeing how Harry only needed his canvas, his colors and brushes, his inspiration to create his masterpieces.

Draco asked gently, "Given this, Harry, how amenable are you to staying a month in the _Marauders' Cottage_?"

Harry goggled, and it was all he could do not to launch himself at the blond. He just nodded and said "Thanks!" Draco made it over to Harry's side and hugged him, murmuring softly in his ears, "You are as important to me, Harry!"

They were rudely interrupted by the concerted attack of a blond-raven-haired little boy gleefully shouting "Har!" and making motions with his arms to effectively convey his wish to be picked up and held, and his two hyperactive plushies, the griffin and the dragon.

Harry picked up Antares and promptly was smacked in the face by his pacifier. Draco laughed gleefully and smirked, or tried to smirk until he was smacked in his turn by the irrepressible Antares. Daphne just smirked mentally, not wanting to be third on the list.

Next the elf Stidgit came in. He was carrying a baby with blond hair, the baby's mother was just behind, furiously writing down items and annotating a list. The quill she was using changed color according to the importance of the items she chose. It was a great tool for planning revisions, or weddings.

Narcissa took them all in, and glancing at Daphne, said, "We need to finesse some details."

Daphne exchanged a look with Draco and replied, "Actually, I think that we have planned it very well. I'm sure you will be able to deal with any late development. Narcissa, we three will go to our home in Canada , we will stay for a month."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

They had a wonderful month in Toronto. Harry spent many a day just observing the cold beauty of the land, painting like mad. Even when the temperature was freezing, he stayed using a warming charm. He was amazed at the stark simplicity of the white snow on the trees, the promise of new life after all this seeming death. The paintings he did during this time came to be known as the _Marauder period_. They would confirm what the knowing public had suspected: Potter was an incredibly gifted and accomplished artist.

The secluded setting gave them the chance to talk to each other, to get to know each other deeper. Draco told them about the limits placed on the behavior of a Malfoy, by society and by his family. How it felt to be rid of them, what he endured, how he came to the realization that maybe he'd found a partner amidst all the turmoil.

Daphne told them about the difficult feat of growing up a Greengrass, strict adherents to neutrality who saw their freedom drastically curtailed and would have eventually been forced to serve the Dark Lord if he had survived. How it felt to take care of her kin, to look out for them.

Harry spoke about his poor family life with the Dursleys, he told them about being beaten up by Dudley, being forced to live in the cupboard under the stairs until Hogwarts, about them giving him so little to eat that his health was compromised.

Draco and Daphne fumed and seethed, inwardly they planned schemes of burning revenge, but they knew they wouldn't do anything unless Harry gave the OK.

Daphne continued with reviews of Healer spells, under the supervision of Draco, and Draco continued his convoluted plans to help the world, manage the Malfoy Estate and live happily, of all three tasks, the last one was the hardest.

Supervising Daphne's work in Healing reminded him of the time he spent as a Healer in St. Mungo's. He felt he was an exceptional Healer, but he was often belittled, never recognized and eventually took a better paying job elsewhere. It was before he discovered Potter's deception with Ginny and used the Banishment Charm.

Surprisingly, Draco decided that communication through owls was just too time consuming. He took to carrying his laptop everywhere. At first Harry looked at this with fondness and superiority, Draco didn't know that magic affected the functioning of electrical systems and batteries, so there was no way he could make the laptop work near magic.

Soon Harry realized how wrong he was. Apparently Draco was the main investor of a Wizarding factory that produced magic-resistant batteries. So Draco Malfoy was able to lord it over with his laptop. He used it everywhere, in the kitchen, in the gardens when he was persuaded by Harry to make an appearance, in the bedroom, Draco was happily typing away on his damned laptop like a ferret hiding nuts – thought Harry uncharitably.

Draco transmitted all his communication by laptop to the web, it arrived in the Malfoy offices in England and was dispatched to other correspondents via owls.

Surprisingly Draco had prevailed over the Headmaster, his godfather, to use a laptop in his office at Hogwarts. He spent many an hour trying to simultaneously find out about Severus's and Iolande's relationship and trying to convince Severus to commit himself to the budding relationship. Unfortunately Severus didn't know anything about the theft of the Sword of Gryffindor, except that several goblin bodies had been discovered near Knockturn Alley, horribly mauled and hexed to death.

Apparently, Severus was in a bad mood lately because his 'Ioly' had left him alone. She said she had to treat a patient in Azkaban. She had been gone for two weeks and would return in two days. The Headmaster looked to be downcast and a little depressed, judging from his terse e-mail comments, with none of his customary scathing retorts.

This set Draco to thinking a plot about getting a laptop for Iolande, so she could communicate with Severus. Maybe they would exchange heated commentary, which he would just happen to record and read at leisure, through the use of those viruses things the Muggles talked about. As a matter of fact, there was one of them that had arrived with the mail, and if he would just open it, then maybe he could use it someday on Severus' machine.

Fortunately Draco did not just jump into unknown places. He asked Harry how he felt about using this virus thing, and Harry, after a customary nagging talk about ethics and stuff, replied that the virus he was about to open would probably destroy the content of his computer. It was kind of like the Trojan Horse. He should take a jaundiced view of all such programs that came from outside, only trusting them if he knew where they came from.

Eventually the month ended and they returned to England, ready to face the stresses of the wedding.

When they got to the Manor, they found that the Malfoys had invited Blaise, Pansy, Millie, Goyle, Ginny, and Neville to spend the days until the wedding with them.

They had a glass of firewhisky each and started talking about what they had done. Blaise, Goyle and Pansy worked in the Ministry. Millie remained at home, undecided about her future, Neville had taken the post of Herbology professor at Hogwarts, and Ginny had signed with the Falmouth Falcons as reserve Seeker.

Neville was jokingly branded a traitor to former Hogwarts students. Everyone laughed when Draco reminisced about Trelawney's class, and how she had found the correct use for her teacups. He warned Neville not to use his teaching implements to try to kill people.

Daphne said, "I want to hear a toast from our Magical Valedictorian!"

Neville blushed and got up, he said, "I drink to love, to compassion, to justice. May we serve the three faithfully. Of course, I want to wish eternal happiness to Draco and Daphne." He looked at Harry and winked, "I'm sure the bonding ceremony will be equally beautiful."

Draco explained his occupation as managing the Malfoy enterprises, Daphne talked about her classes to become a Healer, and Harry took out and showed them some paintings to document his growth and range.

All of his former classmates were astounded by his talent. They suddenly recognized that it had always been there, in Harry's eye to find detail, to grab it and run with it. The keen-eyed sight that detected the Snitch at long range was also able to grasp the beauty of a scene and make it permanent for the observer.

Harry noted that the Slytherins were sparing in their praise. Nevertheless, they were sincere. The Gryffindors were exuberant when they liked you, trouble was, they changed their minds awfully fast, as Harry had painfully endured.

The Slytherins and Neville slyly floated the idea of a stag party, and were sonorously trounced by the combined anger of Daphne, Pansy, Millie, Ginny and Harry.

They did decide on a small party for themselves, where the House elves plied them with delicious food, including a great cake. Harry had learned from his birthday, though, and kept a respectable distance between himself and Daphne.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The day of the wedding came. Draco woke Harry up and gave him a set of dragonhide underclothes. He explained, "I'm worried about our safety due to that open door stupid policy. Please just wear this, it will deflect major curses and attacks. I must warn you, it itches. Daphne and I will also use something like this."

They had a light repast and Narcissa and Daphne surveyed their handiwork and declared themselves satisfied. Andromeda, left to care for Antares and Deneb, just look martyred with the hyperactive blond kids. Lucius smirked on, and looked almost with awe at his oldest son.

The Manor was filled with flowers, among them a generous profusion of daisies, narcissi and lilies. There was a magical spell in place to permit dancing in the garden, where the tables laden with food were artfully disseminated. It looked to be the pinnacle of simplicity, and it was very hard to achieve.

The Malfoys were cordial to all newcomers, although it was plain to see that they did not like some of the guests.

Their friends from Hogwarts arrived, as did many other Hogwarts students and graduates.

Harry had gotten up and gone to the refreshment table to grab a drink, when a voice drawled, "Long time no see, Harry!"

Harry turned and beheld the scarred face of Padma Patil. Padma spoke very slowly, enjoying the pain her words would cause the little four-eyed freak, "It must be very hard to stand here and see your lover getting married so he can get what you can never give him, Harry. What does it feel to have vanquished the Dark Lord and end up becoming someone else's second best? I never imagined you as a simple slut, Harry."

She was interrupted by a cold drawling voice, "I never imagined you were a slut, Patil one. Oops sorry, I imagined perfectly well, because I saw it!" Draco started to shout then, attracting everyone's attention, "Yes Patil one, I saw that you were the bitch of Patil two. Not only that, but you sold yourselves to the highest bidders. It's not everyone who can gloat of having had twins. Of course, by the time your studies at Hogwarts ended, many classmates could claim to have had you, including your pimps Zacharias Smith and Justin Fletchley or whatever."

An irate Draco continued, "Get out, slut, and take your useless other half with you! I don't want to see you again."

Padma tried to argue her way to the party, "But this is the open admission day, you are forced to let us stay."

Draco replied angrily, "No, I'm not. I can defend against damages done to me or my family, the injuries may be verbal or physical, and tradition gives me weapons to fight back."

Draco grabbed Harry and took him back to their table. He asked concernedly, "Are you OK, Harry?"

Harry nodded.

Draco continued, "It amazes me how you can take the insults of the Gryffindors seemingly passively. You don't react at all. I wish you'd shown more strength and manage to curse that bint or whoever from Gryffindor that tries to belittle you. Yet when the taunts come from the Slytherins, you react at once!"

Harry answered, "I think it had to do with my upbringing. The way I was raised, I saw no way out. It was really hell on Earth, with no hope of succor. Until the letter from Hogwarts arrived and I discovered the Wizarding world. All first encounters in that day and the train must have been carefully programmed beforehand, from Hagrid's casual comment that all Dark Lords came from Slytherin to Ron's opportune meeting with me. All this led me to regard Gryffindor as my true home, it also inspired a sense of commitment, of offering myself up for their security, that must have been also prepared."

"These are mind tricks, very difficult to get out of. I'm watching things differently now, thanks to you and the Slytherins. Someday soon, I'll stand up to any Gryffindors that taunt me."

Harry was ribbed good-naturedly by the Slytherins and Neville, and had to listen to Blaise's and Millie's awful jokes, which appeared to be lifted from similar Muggle jokes.

Finally Harry escaped and made his way to the hors-d'oeuvres. When he was selecting some appetizing morsel, a voice surprised him, the voice he had thought he'd never hear again.

tbc


	34. Harry's revenge

Draco circulated among the wedding guests like a consummate politician, briefly saying hello to people he wanted to cultivate, ignoring grandly those that were beneath his notice. What people observed, though, was that he was wont to fall in conversation with Muggleborns and Half-bloods and make them smile and open up, while he ignored some uppity purebloods.

What they didn't realize was that Daphne and Draco kept a close watch on the other member of the Silver trio. After the scene with the Patil bitch, Draco was worried about more hecklers.

So it was that Draco noticed first the hulking figure by the hors-d'oeuvres table. The behemoth looked murderously intent on disrupting the reception. His beady eyes seemingly followed Harry like a missile.

Harry heard the words he never expected to hear again. "Boy, come here!" Harry reluctantly turned and beheld the face of his uncle Vernon Dursley, accompanied by his equine wife, aunt Petunia, and his porcine son Dudley. The zoological family approached Harry.

Harry looked around, subconsciously examining means of escape, and noticed a hurried Draco and Daphne saying good-bye to their partners and heading towards him. At last he would not be alone for this confrontation. He said, "What are you doing here, uncle?"

Vernon replied, "We were told by one of your friends that you lived in the magi… in the other world, and there was no way to reach you. They told us that today we could. The director at your school left this letter with us, to be delivered to you two years after his death." Vernon produced a thick letter from a portfolio and passed it to Harry.

Harry read the letter carefully. In it, Dumbledore explained that he needed to live one month a year with his so-called family, so that protection wards are firmly established around Hogwarts. Dumbledore intimated that if he didn't follow this requirement, the wards would inevitably decay and cease, opening up the school to be the target of many attacks. The lives of the younger generations depended on Harry. All he had to do was live with the Dursleys for one month to avoid this.

Harry felt caught up in the throes of duty. It was his duty then to go to his uncle's and endure their contempt. Yet this time Harry did not feel compelled to seek danger, there were no extraneous voices in his mind forcing him to act like they wanted.  
As Harry was pondering this, an Origami letter alighted on his shoulder. He saw the figure of a griffin, and vividly imagined Draco's wry smirk when folding it. He read the letter:

_Angel:_

_After you told us about your treatment by the Dursleys, Daphne and I seethed and wanted to curse them to death. However, knowing your tender sensibilities, we refrained from doing anything. Nevertheless, I managed to study Vernon's finances and discovered he had borrowed some money. After some finagling with the bank, I paid the outstanding loans; therefore the owner of your uncle's home is none other than Harry Potter. The same maneuver was done to get the title to their two cars, they're yours._

_Lastly, I found out where he worked, and bought enough shares of the company so that it belongs to me now. Of course I will follow faithfully your instructions regarding the Whale One._

_You can do what you want with them. If you curse them with the Unforgivables, we will stand behind you, if you let them go scot free, we will also stand behind you. The call is yours to make._

_Love,_

_D & D_

Harry felt enormously warmed by the letter and the intent of the two blonds toward him. This seemingly caused his Slytherin side to rise. He called for Draco's power elf, Tribbi or Trini, and asked her to please fetch her three glasses of water which should have Veritaserum dissolved in them.

After Trini returned, Harry gave the glasses to the Dursleys. The barely human people innocently took the liquid and came under the influence of the potion.

Harry asked the questions, and soon was incensed. They were luring him into an ambush! They would arrive at the house, where wards would be in place so he could not escape magically or physically. They intended to beat him, maybe even rape him, until such a time as the Leader showed up and proceeded to tame a broken Harry.

What made it worse was that the Dursleys were aware of such a plan and didn't care at all. They just wanted the money they'd been promised if they helped. Harry felt tempted to _Incendio_ the letter, but then thought that it would be good to examine it.

Harry ordered Trini to give the antidote to the Veritaserum to the traitorous knaves.  
As soon as the Dursleys were conscious, Harry shouted, "How dare you? I wash my hands off of you! I want nothing to do with you ever again. _Accio_ car keys!"

Two set of car keys came to Harry. He continued, "You are free to go, but you won't be able to go to your home, or should I say, my home. You are now essentially penniless, and I'm sure you will soon face a change in your job, Vernon, a disagreeable change. We'll see then who is the freak, I who live in the lap of luxury, or you freezing in the street."

Harry took out his pocket dagger and made shallow cuts on his left and right arms; he let the blood collect and then flung it to the floor, towards the point where his erstwhile family observed with a gobsmacked expression. "You three are dead to me and I don't wish to ever see you again."

The three hapless Dursleys blinked out of existence. Harry had managed to get the gist of the Banishment Ritual right, and now the Whale Ones were indeed banished. They would never see Harry again, and they had no place to call a home. They appeared in Privet Drive 4, but soon the police came up, they had been called by the new owner and advised that some unsavory people may try to make their abode in his home, so could they please check so that his home remain undisturbed?

The police officers smoothly agreed, they didn't find it odd that the caller had a drawling, cultured voice.

In Malfoy Manor, Draco and Daphne embraced Harry, who cried a little. It wasn't that surprising to Harry, and he ruefully reflected that if this had occurred a year ago he would have blindly followed the peril, like a good puppet.

The ceremony took place. The maids of honor looked gorgeous in their silver-green organdy dresses. The best maid was of course the redoubtable Pansy and the best man was Neville. Draco walked to his place accompanied by a beautiful Narcissa, while Lucius muttered to himself and looked a little affronted. Daphne was led to the altar by her father Michael.

Harry sat in the front row, and really didn't have time to commiserate by himself because he was asked – or ordered – to look after the Malfoy babies. Antares sensed the solemnity of the occasion and to commemorate it his hair was a wild riot of colors, Deneb was sucking on a pacifier and was wont to suddenly smack the person who held him. Harry thought sardonically that maybe Deneb was really Daphne's son; he could also glare effectively for a baby.

Harry saw the blonds getting married and realized he didn't mind it that much anymore. He knew they cared a lot about him. They'd had the foresight to execute a perfect Slytherin revenge within the law. They presented the information and asked that he make the decision, promising support no matter what. These kind of feelings were more binding, more important than the wedding vows, and more fragile, they were beautiful and free, and must forever remain so, like butterfly wings.

Afterwards, they had dinner, and Neville made a speech, "I just want to say I'm glad to be here and witness this union between two great houses, and two great individuals. I know they still wait for another one to join them, and when they do, they'll be very strong, strong in love, and right and justice, and knowing Draco, revenge. Still I know that there is much more to Slytherins than meets the eye or I wouldn't be here. May you be blessed with children and may you grow old together."

Harry was interested to note that there seemed to be some hard feelings between Ginny and Neville. They didn't appear as thick as before.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry, after an exhausting wedding night, wondered privately where Draco got all his stamina from. He'd come two hours ago from making love to Daphne and that thought had made Harry feel incredibly hot. They made love – twice – and finally Draco appeared to be worn down.

Harry laid down to sleep, and he did for a while. He woke up at 3:00 AM to see the dim lights of a laptop screen. Draco was writing stuff on this night! He put on his glasses and observed attentively the screen. He saw strange bouts of light enter and leave the portable machine at seemingly random intervals. He wondered what it meant.  
Draco was sleeping next to his laptop. His face looked young and carefree, the face of an angel come down to Earth to save mankind. Harry wasn't too keen on beautiful metaphors, though. He rudely poked Draco and forced him to wake up.

When Draco had seemingly woken up, Harry asked him urgently what the deal with the laptop was. Draco explained that he'd read in a website that the hard disk of a computer fragments with time, so he used a spell to join the separated parts. He also used a spell to augment the virtual memory of the machine.  
Harry had the strong urge to smack Draco upside the head, but knew that only someone like Daphne, with a lithe physique and glares of death, could get away with it. Instead he decided to ask Draco to operate the machine and see how it fared.

Inwardly he was chortling and imagining himself shouting "I told you so!" as Draco's laptop went belly up.

He was chagrined to learn that the machine worked perfectly well, even better than new. Harry remembered then Draco's magical and mechanical skills when he fixed the Vanishing Cabinets for the Death Eaters to enter Hogwarts. Obviously he was very gifted with his innate understanding of magic as applied to the hardware of the Muggles or wizards.

To distract a pouting Harry from his thoughts of gloating, Draco asked for the letter Dursley had brought. He read it and analyzed it.

When Harry asked his opinion, Draco replied, "I don't think the letter comes from Dumbledore. This is very much serpentine, not at all like the relentlessly suave way of the former Headmaster."

"I know a spell that can reveal who wrote something. I will use it." Draco swished his wand elegantly while muttering the spell. The letter glowed briefly and a golden globe appeared above it with the name of the writer, it said "Seamus Finnigan." Harry sputtered and said, "Seamus, why would he want to hurt me?"

Draco answered, "Finnigan wrote the letter. I think he is someone's minion. Someone powerful enough to charm the letter, who knows your history, who wants you broken or gone."

"Before I forget, the bonding rings are also portkeys. They're programmed to take you to the Manor, or if it is too dangerous here, to our home in Toronto. The password is Excalibur."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The next day Harry met Neville for lunch in Diagon Alley. First they had ice-cream at the old place that had been owned by Fortescue. It now hosted a small café which sold delicious ice cream combinations.

Neville spoke about his job as Herbology teacher with passion and conviction. He admitted grudgingly to Harry that he was having difficulties with Ginny. It seemed she put her career as a Seeker above her relationship with him. Oftentimes he volunteered to go to her apartment and cook dinner, and Ginny would show two hours late, wolf down the meal, and go straight to sleep, not even noticing that he was there.

Her teammates flirted shamelessly with her, and she allowed this. When Neville objected, she branded him as an uncontrollably jealous person. It was more than he could stand, it was more than any sane person ought to take. He was leaving her. He had just told her that in the morning, and she had pitched a fit, trying to get him to stay, promising that she'd change, that things would get better.

But Neville knew better.

After their lunch and hugging Neville good-bye, Harry Apparated to the alley behind _Atelier Potter._ He sauntered up the steps, entered the old building and opened the door to his studio. He turned on the light, opened the curtains and let the magnificent light in. It illuminated his current project, a painting of a blond, smirking young man, a blonde, sneering young woman and a black-haired and green-eyed man. He titled it originally "_The Silver Trio_." There were blown photos of the occupants of the painting around for him to study and paint.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Time flew by. Narcissa found a new occupation in relentlessly planning the bonding ceremony as if she were a general intent on invading a foreign country.

She sank her teeth into the ceremony, because it was rather small and intimate, and she could show off her organizing talents better. Of course Antares and Deneb always managed to throw wrenches into her brilliant plans, but she loved them.

Antares was proving to be quite a protective big brother. Deneb's strawberry mark in his throat was treated with respect, knowing it came from Dark Magic. Deneb was a delicate child, who was wont to cry for many things, unfortunately no one noticed that sometimes when he cried, the strawberry mark pulsed a violent dark red color, before cooling down, when he would stop crying. He looked almost always for Antares in any room. They loved Draco too. Deneb with the innocence of a toddler, and the little Metamorphmagus with a little more intent to persuade which could be a Malfoy or a Black treat.

Harry was loved in the Malfoy family, from Draco himself, to Narcissa, Andromeda, and the twins from hell Deneb and Antares, even Lucius, though he would not admit it.

Draco's plans to get Iolande a laptop and bug their electronic conversations failed miserably due to Iolande's abnormal rejection of any electric thing. Draco had to devise other plans to gain access to the wanted information, until the day he managed to pass by a classroom near where Iolande and Severus talked. After some _notice-me-not_ and _Muffliato_ charms, he was able to comfortably listen to their conversation. He realized that things were going all right with Severus.

He got out of the classroom with a smile like the cat that ate the canary. He Apparated to the Manor because he knew his godfather would be suspicious if he saw him like this.  
When the stress got too big, Harry persuaded his mates to go to the _Marauder's Cottage_ and spend a week there. Harry was peeved to note that Draco carefully packed his laptop and many CDs, muttering that there was information he needed to have.

Daphne winked at Harry and asked Draco if he knew of any place to play Quidditch in Toronto. Draco replied that he did not, but in a short time he would find out through the web.

Harry muttered to himself, "Nerd!" Reacting to Daphne's prodding with her foot, he challenged Draco to a game of Quidditch. Draco accepted and announced that the Isley Park was near.

They played with the Snitch that Draco had given Harry, using their latest brooms. Daphne declined being the referee, after observing how they both cringed minutely when the possibility was offered. After confiscating the time-turner from a disgruntled Draco, the game began.

It was all they ever wanted, the feel of the air around them, the excitement of the competition, the knowledge that they were in secure hands, that they could be themselves if only for a while, and the others would protect them. Both of them wanted the game to last forever.

Eventually it ended, when Draco caught the Snitch. Draco could not help but gloat a little, and Harry halfheartedly glared at him. In reality, he didn't mind Draco winning at all. He was a superb flyer, and it seemed being free of some restrictions had improved enormously his game. Harry suggested to Draco that maybe he should try to be a Quidditch player.

Draco replied, "No, Harry. It may be a glamorous profession, but I want to do something more than entertain people. I want to affect them positively, to leave the world a better place than when I got here. At least Voldemort made me realize how narrow I had been in some things."  
They returned to England , and were caught up in the preparations marshaled by _Generalissimo_ Narcissa. Soon they celebrated Harry's and Deneb's birthday. Their Slytherin friends and Neville and Ginny were invited, though Ginny didn't show up. They all had a very good time.

Draco was alarmed to note how strained Lucius seemed. Twice he asked for corroboration about the direction of some developments, as if he couldn't follow them correctly.

On August 2nd 1999, the weather was seemingly cold and windy. The Silver Trio got up and got dressed, went to have breakfast and saw Andromeda with Antares. She explained that Narcissa had been detained with Deneb. The little blond had spent a bad night, crying uncontrollably. Only recently had he fallen asleep.

Draco went to see them and as he opened softly the door, he could see his mother, and sleeping near her, his brother Deneb, who indeed looked worse for wear.  
They had an uneventful morning and in the afternoon, the guests congregated. There were only the immediate family, the Slytherin friends and Neville.

The rings were exchanged, the vows pronounced. The wizard officiating the ceremony, an old man with a long black beard, who reminded Draco indelibly of Dumbledore, asked "Is there any one who objects to this bonding? If so speak up now, or forever hold your peace."

It was then that the bright summer scene became crazed. There was an inexorable sense of doom permeating the very air, and Draco's Conception charm went haywire, oscillating from one year to 6 to 67 to 8886 years. Draco knew then that he was going to face perhaps the greatest threat to his family ever.

He observed the chairs and saw a signal in the Malfoy code. He motioned for his mother and Andromeda to come to him. They went and he said peremptorily, "You have to get out, behind this fern is a Vanishing cabinet that will take you to Hogwarts. Take it and we will go when we are able!"

Narcissa started to remonstrate but Draco was inflexible for once, "Get out mother! Do you want to become a pawn here? If worst come to worst, I've provided for you, Ant and Deneb."

The pops of Apparition were heard strongly, like the sounds of hooves on pavement. Andromeda held Antares close to her chest, stepped to the Vanishing Cabinet and was gone.

Harry was suffering the assault of the depressing thoughts, but having Kissed a Dementor, he wasn't that affected. He was able to see the dark-cloaked figures Apparating into Malfoy Manor. He even identified some of them, like Seamus Finnigan.

What took his breath away was the fact that Seamus had an ominous black glove, which didn't seem natural.

tbc


	35. The hidden Horcrux

_And from the shelter of my mind  
Through the window of my eyes  
I gaze beyond the rain-drenched streets  
__To England where my heart lies._

_And so you see I have come to doubt  
All that I once held as true  
I stand alone without beliefs  
The only truth I know is you._

_And as I watch the drops of rain  
Weave their weary paths and die  
I know that I am like the rain  
There but for the grace of you go I  
_(Kathy's song, _Simon & Garfunkel)_

Draco wanted to harangue Narcissa to leave at once, but he was distracted by the presence of numerous Dementors. He also heard the ominous Apparitions and saw the menacing black figures suddenly appearing in the Malfoy garden. It would be enough to sink him into despair, but he also chanced to see the artful arrangement of some chairs, indicating a promise and encouragement in the Malfoy code.

Severus and Iolande reacted at once, they took out their wands and cast_ Protego_ shields around themselves.

Harry was overwhelmed by the ruthlessness of the attack, the apparent simplicity with which they bypassed the wards, which were reputed to be stronger than those at Hogwarts. He then saw Seamus take out his weird glove, and he showed a silver hand!  
A voice spoke then, the one voice that Harry thought was definitely behind him, a thing of the past: "It is a magnificent thing that Malfoy has done for us, isn't it? Today I eliminate my greatest enemies and take control of the Wizarding World, as is my right!"

The figure walked ahead of the others, the cowl came down and the sunlight shone on the face of Lord Voldemort, who looked like he did in the Diary, only about 40 years old. He appeared to be the picture of perfect health, notwithstanding the fact that he had been definitely dead.

Harry felt the immediate need to submerge himself in the thought-universe, to analyze the endless correlations and find a place where Voldemort did not crow about having Draco's help. He bitterly mused about the nature of prophecies, they are a device of the mortal mind and are open to endless interpretations. A prophecy may become known, and it won't happen for decades or centuries. Everybody was so certain they knew the meaning of the Prophecy that they acted blindly: Voldemort, Dumbledore, himself. The fact remains that Deneb Malfoy also fulfills completely the requirements of the Prophecy. Therefore that would imply that Voldemort would appear again and face off Deneb.

It would seem that Voldemort's hidden horcrux was the Sword of Gryffindor. In the other future, where Harry reigned supreme, the Sword was safe under the aegis of the Protection Charm, but here and now, the Charm was ineffective, the Sword had been stolen and the horcrux obviously used. It was bitterly ironic that the procedure used to save reality placed the world under the dangerous path of the maniac Lord.

He could imagine Draco saying that he preferred a world under the Dark Lord than the world ceasing to exist. Coming back to Draco, he integrated all data about him, but even before coming to a conclusion he knew that he trusted him. In his mind he returned to the conversation in Snape's office, where he had said, "Draco wants Potter to love him and trust him."

He had had visions of Draco's life under Voldemort and they weren't pretty. Draco had been forced to submit to the Twit in order to save his family. There is no way in hell he would plot to raise the Dark Lord to fall back into that submission. On second thought, knowing Draco, _maybe_ he would do that, but only if he had a counter-plan to sonorously trounce the Dark Git. Harry shuddered mentally, knowing how many of Draco's plans went ballistic. Above all, the blond was resourceful; Harry would stick to that cunning and Slytherin guile and see what comes.

Harry was jolted out of his mental contemplation by the sudden attack of Lucius Malfoy on Draco. It went on very quickly, and without Lucius shouting_ Expelliarmus_ or _Accio,_ the Elder wand flew from Draco's hands to Lucius'. Simultaneously the Slytherins Goyle, Blaise, Pansy and Millie took out their wands and joined the menacing figures in black. At first glance it looked like a dastardly plot of the Slytherins to raise the Dark Lord and wreak vengeance.

Before anything else happened, Harry had to ask, "How? How is it possible that you are alive and I did not feel it through the scar?"

Voldemort answered sardonically, "I used _Occlumency_ to guard my thoughts, also the connection seemed to have weakened due to the intervening period when I was not conscious."

"It was important that you remain unaware of our plans, like the witless fool you are! So I let you and your playmates to feel free, while I laid the trap underneath your feet, to spring at precisely the right time. I had thought to lure you to the home of your Muggle relatives and break you there, but you proved to have more grit than I thought and escaped that ambush."

Voldemort continued, "But now we will get rid of you and the traitor Malfoy. Lucius has another son that he can raise to properly serve me. Lucius' help in dealing with you goes a long way to make me forgive him. His position as Chief Warlock will also come in handy."  
The Dark Lord turned to Severus and taunted him, "Snape! I guess I will have to kill you again. The second time will be even better, I promise." Severus snarled and tried to throw a curse, which the Dark Lord easily dodged.

When he turned to goad Draco, the blond Slytherin cut him off, "I also have some things to say to you, Dark Twit of the Utterly Banal World, namely, Anti-apparition wards up!"

Everyone felt the magic of the wards as they slid into place. Draco continued, "Anti-portkey wards up! Anti-Dementor wards up!"

Next Draco said, "_Accio_ my wand," the Elder wand flew from Lucius's hands to his. Draco yelled, "Slytherins, attack!" and the Slytherins who had gone among the black cloaked figures purportedly as allies, started hexing them strenuously and indiscriminately.

Draco started to fight, he was flanked by the imposing figures of Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. Iolande Auerbach fought with the precision of a professional Dueler, her technique was flawless and relentless. Some cloaked figures thought she'd make an easy target and were definitely crushed as a result.

Neville Longbottom defended himself as a true Gryffindor Lion, heedless of the perils when he ventured forth to rescue his friends from the enemy fire, and it felt so right to fight alongside the Slytherins, whose taunts he had long endured, whose warnings had saved him repeatedly.

Pansy fought like a devil in disguise. No one expected her petite figure to offer much resistance, and they were taken in by deceiving appearances. Pansy fought to right wrongs she felt were done personally to her.

Gregory Goyle reflected on his friend Crabbe, whose mind was poisoned by Voldemort's teaching, whose death went completely unnoticed by that man. He felt the keen injustice of it all, and wanted to forget that if only for a bit. He fought with a dogged relentlessness that was very effective.

Blaise Zabini fought for sheer enjoyment of the fight. He had an irrepressible spirit and wanted to fly high, and he knew that the Dark Lord would not allow him to be free, not even a little, hence his grudging acceptance of the leadership role assumed by his erstwhile crush, Draco.

Millicent Bulstrode had always been the overlooked one. She wasn't as beautiful as Daphne or as vivacious as Pansy, his classmates tended to forget her, which could come handy sometimes. Her family was not as high in the Death Eater hierarchy as others. Still they had been saved from cruel retribution by the timely warning of Lucius Malfoy. The elder Malfoy had always seemed to know where the wind blew. When this plan was proposed, Millie accepted it wholeheartedly, knowing they would have to face this enemy some day. Better do it now when they were prepared than sometime in the future, when they all had kids and slower reflexes.

All in all, the Slytherins and friends faced about 30 individuals, among whom were many outstanding Dark wizards, and also former classmates like Finnigan and Kirke. The more informed individuals chose to attack either Harry or Draco, knowing that the Dark Lord would be grateful to whoever killed these wizards.

Harry fought veritably like an enraged griffin, moving with the flow of the battle and the duel, and effectively surprising his opponents with the precision and power of the curses he cast. His swishes and flicks were performed with verve and determination, his voice steady and calm as he delivered the curses. The enraged Gryffindor was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Draco's fighting technique was deceptively simple. He didn't project the same thunder that Harry did, instead he worked almost unobserved, elegantly moving his wand and directing the sometimes lethal curses to their targets with deceptive ease. Looking at Draco, one would have the impression that he was just performing a practical test of his skills, instead of the life-and-death battle he was engaged in. It was part of the Malfoy mystique. However much Draco had changed, that style would remain with him forever.

Lucius fought alongside Draco and gloried in the battle. For some time he had despaired of ever reaching his son again, after having let him down when he was sent to Azkaban, and Draco was forced into service with Voldemort. After all the struggles of the long and protracted fight, after Draco got them free, he fell in disfavor with his son. He endured because he loved him and Narcissa, and wanted to be there for him. After Draco bound his powers, he had to become used to a whole different way of performing magic. Then Draco restored his powers. He seemingly offered a new start. Being Malfoys, they fell to discussing strategies to deal with many enemies.

When the couriers of the Dark Lord came, Lucius arranged the whole plan with the Slytherins. They didn't tell Draco because they could not afford a leak, or a change of behavior on the part of the Silver trio. Now Lucius had the chance to fight and help his sons, and if death should take him, it would be only right.

Iolande definitely proved that she was more than a knowledgeable Healer, able to hex and curse with the best of them. Her style was direct, with no frills and little sarcasm, contrasting with Severus. Her hexes were delivered inevitably at the right moment and place. She never faltered, and to an outside observer she would have easily seemed to be the most powerful of all the combatants.

Severus Snape fought with Slytherin guile, often casting debilitating curses, intending to weaken the enemy by attrition. The miscreants would have to deal with their fallen comrades' cries of pain. Being Death Eaters, they wouldn't care; still, they could not help but feel the emotional weight of expecting something awful to come their way.

Daphne Malfoy battled with the Death Eaters with the aplomb of a pureblood witch used to the vagaries of the powerful. After her Conception Charm went haywire, going from 1 year to 67 to 9993 years, she knew that probably Draco and she faced awful odds. She observed what happened as Lucius seemed to turn on Draco and the Elder wand flew to Lucius's hands. In the distance she could see Narcissa, holding Deneb and looking at the commotion. She didn't understand why her mother-in-law didn't take her son to safety.

She couldn't breathe when Draco insulted the Dark Lord and called up the wards, his Elder wand and lastly ordered the Slytherins to attack. Finally, a plan convoluted enough for Draco!

Unfortunately in the mêlée the Slytherins didn't notice that Daphne had been suddenly left alone. Voldemort saw her and approached her. When Daphne realized the peril she was facing it was too late.

Voldemort grabbed her hand and chortled, "The Malfoy bitch! I'll make sure that the Malfoy race ends with you."  
Harry and Draco noticed this interaction and were powerless to interrupt because they were facing the hexes of several Death Eaters, among them were Andrew Kirke and Seamus Finnigan.

Voldemort shouted "_Morsmordre!"_ and directed the wand to Daphne's abdomen, intending the curse to carve a death's head over Daphne's womb, rendering her sterile.

The light left the wand and approached Daphne.

When Harry cast the Conception Charm, he created it in such a way that he asked the magic to guide and protect the germinal cell. Until the conception and birth took place, Harry's charm had some features of a Protection Charm.

The magic detected that if it let the spell affect Daphne, it would go against the original injunction. So when the light reached her, it was rebounded to Voldemort, where it nestled in his face and carved the skull and snake in his cheek and nose. It hurt a lot, and Voldemort screamed.  
Draco freed himself sufficiently from his antagonists and shouted to Daphne, "Use the portkey!"

A dazed Daphne took a few seconds to understand, then she shouted, "Excalibur!" the ring-portkey operated and took her to the _Marauder's Cottage._

Even though the Dementors were somewhat contained by the wards, Voldemort ordered them to attack. Draco addressed them shouting, "You don't have to listen to him! I understand some of your pain, how you have been cast in such an awful role by seemingly unfeeling powers. I know you are really beautiful, heavenly beings. I cannot take your curse from you, but I can tell you that you don't have to follow that man. You are free to decide, as much as you can decide in your state."

The Dementors remained where they were and they did not approach the humans.  
The mêlée continued, and the help of the Slytherins proved crucial. Having taken the enemy by surprise, they were in the ideal position to wreak havoc with the would-be Death Eaters. Severus and Iolande seemed to delight in using exotic hexes.

Unfortunately Draco didn't notice that Narcissa had not left via the Vanishing Cabinet. She remained in the garden, apparently infuriated by all the mayhem caused by the miscreants.

However, Voldemort saw her, and he knew he had the perfect way of hurting those traitorous Malfoys. He immobilized her and cast a sphere around them. A translucent silver sphere was plainly visible from all sides of the battlefield that started the day as a bonding reception. This got them the attention of the combatants. Draco and Lucius saw the sphere, Narcissa and Deneb trapped inside, and felt themselves die a little.

Voldemort gloated, "I will show my followers how to deal with traitors! Young Malfoy is a good for nothing populist, and the elder Malfoy dared to betray my trust! Let them see how their mother and son are killed!"  
Draco ran toward them and launched himself at the shield, knowing that he would come late. It all depended on the damned prophecy now. As expected, he crashed into the sphere and couldn't get in, nor could he get the sphere to disappear using his magic.

The Dark Lord turned towards Narcissa and Deneb and mockingly said, "Aren't you going to beg for my indulgence, Cissa?"  
Narcissa answered haughtily, "I don't beg. If you kill us, do it fast."

Shorn of his entertainment, the Dark Lord shouted, "_Avada Kedavra!"_ The ominous green light of the Killing Curse shot toward the blonde madonna with child. The light seemed to strive to get to Deneb, but didn't quite reach him. It was stopped and floated in mid-air for a stunning second or two, before being inexorably drawn back to the Dark Lord.

Draco was weirdly conscious of the passage of time, it seemed to telescope and become slower. He saw Iolande move her wand and effectively destroy Voldemort's sphere. He wondered how it could be that such a normal witch could invalidate a spell cast by the Dark Twit.  
Everyone thought that the green light would reach Voldemort and it would be the momentary end of the monster. However it was stopped by a shield and dissipated. The shield was cast by Draco.

Harry privately thought that the day had had enough entertainment to last him a century, without having Draco saving Voldemort's life! Draco looked at Harry, rolled his eyes, and commented sulkily, "Need I remind you of hidden Horcruxes, Potter? If the Dark Twit dies or something, he will just be reborn again. We need another solution. Help me to cast an _Immobulus _and hold him in suspension."

Harry realized the wisdom of his mate's words and helped him to render the Dark Twit immobile.  
Draco paused for a few seconds, as the sounds of the battle around them raged momentarily, and then intoned in a calm, carrying voice, "I call upon the help of the Healer of Souls, that he can do his job, that he can heal a mortal soul!" "Healer of Souls, hearken to us! Help us in memory of your past life!"

Suddenly there was a shower of golden sparks, and near Draco appeared a majestic being. Blond as the sun was he, with magnificent wings. His clear complexion indicated the purity of the Alpine snow, alabaster skin was complimented by silken robes.

Draco moved Voldemort's body near to where the Healer was, and said, "Healer, this poor man has surely a corrupted soul. If we let him live, or even if we kill him, his evil soul will find a way to come back to this realm and haunt us, wanting to become the Ruler of the world. He will pose a lesser threat if his soul is balanced."

"I beg you to use your powers and heal his soul, that the world may live in peace."  
The Healer approached the prostrate figure of Voldemort, who was struggling mightily to get rid of the _Immobulus_ cast by Draco and Harry. The Healer then Kissed Voldemort, and within the next two minutes, Healed his soul. Voldemort resisted as much as he could, but there was nothing he really could do. The Healer magic was relentless, easily bypassing any defenses Voldemort might have set up beforehand to protect his soul, it sought to redress the imbalances in his soul and magic.

By the time the Healer finished with his Kiss, the battle was decided: the Slytherins and friends had prevailed and all black-cloaked ominous figures were captured or dead.  
The Dementors had been held in check by the wards, but it appeared that seeing the Healer had brought up some strange emotion in them, they were fidgeting.

Draco addressed the Healer and said, "Thank you, Healer." Then he turned to the Dementors and said, "That's what you can be when you are free from the curse. Go, and sin no more!" The Healer vanished in a magnificent shower of golden sparks, beginning with his diaphanous wings. The Dementors slowly withdrew.  
Harry asked imperiously, "So that's it? You're gonna let Voldemort go free?"

Draco scoffed and said, "Of course not, Angel. I am not a Hufflepuff that believes in the goodness of the world, or a Gryffindor hell-bent on trusting anyone who isn't Slytherin. Severus, tell me, are there any Mirrors left in Hogwarts?"

Severus managed to detach himself from Iolande and answered sheepishly, "Yes, there's the Mirror of Despair."

Draco said, "Then it's high time that Voldie makes the acquaintance of said Mirror. I will then take it to the ocean and drop it. Voldie will spend eternity in that Mirror, feeling despair. No matter how many Horcruxes he has left, he won't be reincarnated if he is trapped in the Mirror."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

A subdued Voldemort was taken to Hogwarts, where an officious Draco put him in the Mirror of Despair. Draco shrank the Mirror and put it in his pocket.

Draco found Andromeda and Antares in the Headmaster's office, he told them to come back to the Manor. Andromeda was keen on checking Draco's _bona fides_ and subjected him to what seemed an exhaustive test on being Draco Malfoy. He recognized that his aunt may have been nervous, and answered her questions succinctly. Eventually Andromeda relented and she and Antares returned to the Manor.

He had a strong hunch that he was supposed to be someplace else, he felt a weird sense of homecoming calling him.  
At any rate, Draco got back to the Manor. Harry sent a Patronus message to Daphne asking her to come back and telling her that they had won the battle. After some time, Daphne came back through the Floo system. She hugged Harry, and Draco approached his green-eyed lovers and held them fiercely.

He, Daphne and Harry finally were duly consecrated as mates. He had a small talk with Lucius and thanked him for the warnings he had left via the Malfoy code. It was providential that only a month ago they had discussed what to do in the case of an attack. Draco had suggested that if assailants showed up, Lucius would pretend to be in their side and would appear to take away Draco's wand, while in reality it was Draco who sent the wand to Lucius, thus remaining its master according to wandlore.

He also chastised Narcissa. He said indignantly, "Mother, I'm very disappointed in you! I told you to get out but you decided to stay, as a result, Voldemort almost killed you and Deneb! That is unacceptable, you must learn to listen to me."  
Narcissa appeared suitably chastened. However, Draco did not see her nudge deliberately Antares, so he would go and demand that Draco carry him. Immediately Draco complied and his temper started to disappear. Narcissa wasn't a Slytherin for nothing, and living with Malfoys had made her pretty able to get her way when she wanted to, which was always.

In the course of the interrogation of the prisoners in the Malfoy dungeons, Draco interviewed Seamus Finnigan. The Irishman admitted that his hand was used in the ritual to resurrect Voldemort. Asked about the location of the Sword of Gryffindor, he admitted (under _Veritaserum_) that the Sword was in his apartment. Eventually he coughed up the address, Draco went to the apartment and got back the Sword.

Back in the Manor, he went to his room, took out the Sword, and rubbed his signet ring, calling on Griphook to discuss some affairs.

The sound of goblin Apparition was heard and Griphook appeared, bowing to Draco and saying, "Lord Malfoy, how may we serve you?"  
Draco replied, "I have something that belongs to you, which I will return shortly. I only hope it is better guarded in the future." He took out the Sword of Gryffindor and presented it to the goblin, hilt first.

Griphook was visibly awed, he grabbed the Sword and bowed deeply, "We are in your debt, as always, Lord Malfoy."

tbc


	36. Secrets kept and revealed

The weather was somewhat cold and a great storm had been predicted for tomorrow, here in the North Atlantic. The desolate island stood open to the indifferent regard of the world, as it had done since time immemorial, its unknown defenses made it the perfect impregnable fortress.

A figure Apparated in the northern edge of the island, seemingly unaware of the wards that purportedly kept that from happening. The figure was revealed as a thin blond man.

The man walked to the edge of the shore and took a shiny object out of his pocket. He took out his wand, and swishing and flicking elegantly, murmured a spell that moved the shiny bauble 3 miles to open sea and then sunk it to the bottom of the ocean.  
The man retreated a few steps to the solidity of the drab island. He looked suspiciously around, and sensing something adrift, said amicably, "You can come out, Iolande. I can sense you! What are you doing here?"

A svelte petite woman appeared out of thin air, and she drawled nonchalantly, "I was visiting one of my patients. What was it that you threw into the ocean, Draco?"  
Draco replied, "It's the Mirror of Despair, with a healed Voldemort trapped inside. It will stay down in the depths hopefully for a long time."  
Draco continued, "But I have some questions that you may want to answer, Iolande. Like how were you able to destroy Voldemort's sphere when many other capable wizards could not."

"Harry tells me that the Prophecy also says that the Dark Lord would face an opponent that has a power the Dark Lord does not know. What was this power in Deneb's case?"

"Once I tried to interest you in owning a laptop and you said that you abhorred electronic devices. However, the laptop and cell phone I had brought to the meeting just became unusable after being near you."

"I researched your life, and there was nothing unusual, except the fact that you spend a lot of time in Azkaban. It all points toward this accursed island."  
"I conclude that you come from somewhere else, maybe you have a higher level of magic that short-circuits the Muggle electronics. It could explain your magical prowess."

Iolande, who had been silent until that point, smirked genuinely interested and clapped once. She said courteously, "Indeed a thorough job, my Lord. You deserve to know the truth. Let's go then to a more hospitable place. _The island of Atlantis may be found 10 miles to the north of Azkaban."_

Draco was dumbfounded. Had Iolande really said Atlantis? Then he chanced to look at the northern edge of the shore and saw a magical spectacle. It seemed as if a curtain were being opened across the wide expanse of the supposedly open sea. White cliffs slowly materialized, as white as those of Dover, while elsewhere there was the hint of vibrant vegetation, the greens and browns of a healthy forest. There were also signs of human habitation, but they denoted a stark simplicity that Draco had not found anywhere. If anything, it reminded him of ancient Greek houses.

The island seemed enormous, more a continent than a simple isle. Where Azkaban was stark simplicity and contrasting colors, Atlantis sported a cacophony of colors and environments.

Iolande said, "I'll meet you in the house with the white atrium, over there. Then she Apparated away. Not to be outdone, Draco followed her.  
He appeared near a simple, yet stately furnished house. Iolande met him and offered him a sweet beverage that tasted somewhat like butterbeer. She started, "You might be aware of the tradition that Atlantis was put under a _Fidelius_ charm. It is mostly true."

"However, I must tell you of the environment that led to this decision. In those times, the wielders of magic were very powerful, more so than the Muggles, and they could easily overpower and subdue them. Many leaders and peoples argued for this kind of action, to overtake the world, and enslave and destroy those who could not defend themselves. Another faction wanted to try peace, to allow the wielders of magic to work and live among the Muggles and help them. Those two factions had the majority of the support of the Council and the People. A small, decisive group wanted to isolate the wielders of magic and let each one of them, the magic users and the Muggle, develop separate civilizations."

"Judging from your words during the battle with Voldemort, you view the Dementors with pity and you think they were dealt a harsh fate. It is right that you think so, yet there is also a lot more to the story. The Healers of Souls originally wanted to Heal every human on Earth, if needed they wanted to enforce the Healing of everybody. In a suave way, they were actively undermining the free will of the world. The Prince of Atlantis judged against the Healers, and forbade them to Heal indiscriminately."

"Thereupon, the Healers acted as spies for the faction that wanted dominion. Things soon got completely heated. It was something infinitely worse than the Pureblood-Muggleborn fights you are familiar with. Each faction had the power to literally destroy mankind. Realizing this, eventually they brokered an accord. The Prince was enraged when he learned of the Healers' betrayal. He cursed them to become the opposite of what they were. He knew that if left unchecked, they would still try to enforce their will on the world and everybody would have to toe the line or suffer a Healing Kiss."

"The accord they hammered was to isolate the strongest magic users in the Prince's island in the middle of the ocean, cast a charm that has the properties of Fidelius, and allow each society to flourish as they would."

"So the Dementors first appeared on the scene. The Dementors, by the strictures of the curse, have to endure in that form until the Prince or a descendant forgives them. They congregated haphazardly on an island to the South of Atlantis. There was a conflict between the Dark magic under which the Dementors labor and the conditions for the _Fidelius_ charm, so the end result was that Azkaban became visible for the outside world."

"The two societies developed independently for the next 2,000 years. Atlantis learned more about magic, we became somewhat more powerful, with some drawbacks, for example, electrical things don't work right around us, as you have learned. The outside world also developed accordingly. The magical users were not very strong compared to the Muggles, and were forced to tolerate them and hide from them. Things seemed to be working out OK."

"Yet Atlantis allowed free transit to its citizens. Four young people left the island and went to another island, in far Scotland . They took it upon themselves to invigorate the Wizarding World, which they considered an effete and weak place. They wanted to have their cake and eat it too. They wanted to allow everyone to learn magic who could, they also wanted the Muggles to remain blissfully unaware of what happened in their midst."

"The four Founders of Hogwarts, having entered the road to perdition, hastily decided they wanted to ensure the continuity of their school. To make sure of that, they cast a Protection Charm, using the knowledge they had learned in Atlantis, to protect the heir of one of them. They were so shortsighted as to ignore the consequences of their actions."

"Unfortunately, no matter how strong Atlantis is, we could not break that Protection Charm. It had to be broken from the inside, the way you did."

"After we became aware of the activities of our erstwhile compatriots, it was decided to send a person to try and rectify their mistakes. One of your ancestors was sent to Scotland , as blond and grey-eyed as the rest of you. When Godric Gryffindor met him and learned about his mission, he tauntingly called him _Mal-foi_, Bad Faith. In a contrary mood, your ancestor decided to make it his family name: he'd be known as Elsen Malfoy. He joked that all of them would be saved by Bad Faith."  
"I'm pleased to say that your many times grandfather was right, and you have saved us!"

"Elsen knew that if the four Founders remained together, they'd be a walking time bomb, so he decided to set them apart. He managed to change Salazar's opinions somewhat, to the point where he disagreed strongly with Godric and left Hogwarts. He was immediately painted with a bigoted brush as an elitist and snob, when all he wanted was to protect the secret of the wizards, restricting access to Hogwarts. Your ancestor then set to further undermine the Founders. Eventually he finessed plans to buy the entirety of Hogwarts. He also finished the construction of the Chamber of Secrets."

"Time went on, and the school was established and grew. The Founders eventually died, along with Elsen. Generations of wizards were educated at Hogwarts, including Muggleborns. They of course told their families about magic, and the knowledge became widespread."

"Soon the suspicious Muggles could no longer turn a blind eye towards the reports of magic use. They sought to quell the mass hysteria by apprehending and killing suspected wizards and witches. Approximately 80 per cent of the victims were Muggles, the rest were wizards. The carnage was great, and it was continued for centuries."

"The esteemed powers-that-be in Hogwarts didn't note the serious situation and it was business as usual in the naïve school."  
"Eventually the only succor came with the discovery of America and the outpouring of energy and resources to that continent. For the Europeans, the siren call of an Atlantic voyage was maddening, and we might have something to do with it. The Mesoamericans dreamed of plumed serpents and blonde gods, which could be substituted for our dragons and people."

"You ask, what is Deneb's power that the Dark Lord didn't know of it?"  
"Really simple. After the Prince so long ago decided to curse the Healers, he threw himself wholeheartedly into the affairs of the people. He became a doer, traveling to wherever he was needed. His descendants obeyed the same impulses. When the meddlesome Founders wreaked their havoc in Europe, a descendant of the Prince went to deal with them. His name was Elsen."

"So you see, your family is descended from the Prince. You could suspend the curse of the Dementors if you wanted to, you could reinstate it again. The family has magic that can protect against Killing Curses, and most assuredly the Dark Lord did not know this."

"During the battle, you spoke to the Dementors, and they seemed to listen. They never condescend to hear a mortal, but they sensed the magic of the family in you. They recognized some of the qualities of their Prince, the one they betrayed so long ago, and that gave them pause and made them consider what you said."

Draco asked, "What about you? Were you sent to spy on us?"  
Iolande answered seriously, "Of course not! I am an agent of Atlantis, I work with the wizards. As such, I frequently come back here and so I must have the pretext of being in Azkaban performing examinations. I was asked to care for Narcissa and try to make her pregnancy bearable. You saw what happened. No matter what you think, I'm just a normal girl, and I don't have more magic than you or Harry."

"While caring for Narcissa, I met the most wonderful man and fell in love with him. You know him very well, as he is your godfather. Severus knows about my Atlantean affiliations. I intend to marry him soon, if he'll have me."  
Draco smirked, thinking of Severus' face when Iolande proposed to him. It would make a great photo.

Draco asked, "So what now?"  
Iolande answered, spreading her arms wide to indicate the whole landscape, "This is your land. You have a place to stay here if you want. It will always wait for you."

"Your life is your own to live. Atlantis is too small to affect decisively the outside world. Our influence is mostly by example and convincing others. I can imagine that if you were somewhat apprehended and sent to Azkaban, we might not learn about this until later, perhaps when it was too late to do something."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

In far away London, a man scavenged for food outside the restaurants. His name was Vernon. After being unceremoniously thrown out of Privet Drive, unable to drive his cars, he'd gone to his job one Monday and learned that he had been summarily fired. It seemed the new owner, a Mr. Malfoy, disliked him intensely.

After pawning his watch and living off the proceeds for some days, his money ran out. The jobs he took he lost in hours due to his temper. His wife had to go to a homeless shelter with his son.

Later he learned that his son had beaten another child badly. The victim had been taken to intensive care, and his son was duly put in juvenile prison. There he appeared to elicit the attentions of the corrupt wardens, who made sure that every outburst he had was duly paid in blows.

The corpulent man was walking toward the wharves when he suddenly felt the extreme urge to turn back and run. The command was relentless and he was forced to obey. When he was far away, there was a sound of Apparition and Harry appeared in the street where Vernon had lingered before, ready to go to his Atelier.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco spent an exciting day in Atlantis. There was no coincidence that his ancestor's book dealt with the Atlantis myths. He also learned the reason that many spells were in Latin. Apparently a nucleus of dedicated magical wielder activists had stayed behind and taken refuge in the hills of Tuscany and the Alps, eventually forming part of the budding Latin empire. They contributed mightily to the development of magic and charted its territory with the words they were used to.

When it was dusk, however, he realized he had to get back or face the ire of Daphne and Harry. Iolande sensed his turmoil and offered, "You can come back any time, Draco. You know where the island is and you can Apparate to it. Go with your mates and say hello to Severus!"

Draco waved goodbye to Iolande and Apparated to Malfoy Manor. He managed to appear at exactly the wrong moment, however, as Antares had launched a deathly projectile of mashed potatoes toward Deneb. Said weapon reached Draco's face.  
His family laughed like loonies – thought Draco sulkily. He managed to contain his rightful anger, especially considering the mean-looking plushie bodyguards of the griffin and the dragon.

Daphne laughed and muttered "_Accio_ my camera!" However, nothing came up. Daphne was intrigued and miffed, apparently her photo equipment had been used by other people without adequate compensation. The blonde Slytherin would surely look into it.  
Eventually Daphne directed a _Scourgify_ to Draco's face, and she passed him a plate loaded with his favorite food. Draco mused that it was highly profitable to have such a delightful mate as Daphne – still Draco made sure that his face didn't register his inner glee, as he didn't fancy being smacked upside the head by said blonde.

Draco told them an edited version of his day. He would tell the truth only to his mates, at first.

Harry related his interesting day at the Atelier. He had been swamped with commissions and he had to choose the best ones. Already he had consented to painting pictures for the Wizard Museum of Arts, the Ministry and Hogwarts.

Narcissa, Lucius and Andromeda were seemingly conspiring, murmuring words to each other which were undistinguishable to the others. Harry talked animatedly with Daphne about the conditions of their Canadian home. He was especially keen to know about the state of the garden. Draco reminded him that they had hired a renowned tree care company to care for the garden which was Draco's pride.

Andromeda left with Antares and Deneb, and Harry led Daphne away, sensing that the Malfoys wanted to discuss something.  
Draco had the House elves serving them Cognac. He was sipping his slowly, savoring the flavor, when Narcissa said suddenly, "I want you to chain your father's powers!"

Draco choked on the Cognac he had been drinking. He sputtered and stuttered, "Mo-Mother, what do you mean? You want Lucius to be deprived of his powers?"  
Narcissa answered resolutely, "We've analyzed this thing from many angles. Consider this: Is it really a coincidence that just after you bound your father's power, we were able to conceive? Before, we tried everything and nothing worked. It appeared that the Dark Magic residue was there."

"If so, then why were we able to conceive when Lucius was bound? I think it was a curse of the accursed Dark Twit to limit the offspring of his followers. If we all had only one son or daughter, we would be easier to control. Unfortunately, the git was proved to be right."

"But now I have Ant and Deneb, and we want to try for a daughter. Will you do this for us, Draco?"  
Draco turned to Lucius and asked, "How do you feel about this, Lucius?"

Lucius answered calmly, "I think it will work. I had become used to the diminished powers. Knowing that I'm doing this to have another son or daughter, defying the Dark Lord, it will make it all right."  
Draco considered, and decided. He took out the Elder wand and pointed it toward Lucius, he swished and intoned, "_Catenas sesenta!"_ The spell hit Lucius and he sat down, a little dizzily.

Narcissa sauntered over to them and said to Draco, "I understand that soon Iolande will marry Severus. We talked about this, and I'm pretty sure that you will have to bind Sev's power too."  
Draco inwardly shuddered at the thought of binding his godfather's powers. But he wanted to see a child of the Headmaster and the Healer.

Narcissa added sternly, "And we will pick out the name this time, Draco!"  
Draco simply nodded while thinking privately that there was not a chance in hell that he would stay out of that decision. He had the perfect name for a sister!

tbc


	37. Enter Scorpius

_If it were love I would give that love every second I had, and I do.__  
__Did I know where he'd lead me to?__  
__Did I plan doing all of this for the love of a man?__  
__Well I let it happen anyhow.__  
__And what I'm feeling now has no easy explanation.__  
__Reason plays no part.__  
__Heaven help my heart.__  
__I love him too much.___

_Don't you know that time is not my friend.__  
__I'll fight it to the end.__  
__Hoping to keep that best of moments__  
__when the passions start.__  
__Heaven help my heart the day that I find.__  
__Suddenly I've run out of secrets.__  
__Suddenly I'm not always on his mind.__  
__Maybe it's best to love a stranger.__  
__That's what I've done - heaven help my heart._  
_(Heaven help my Heart_, Anderson-Rice-Ulvaeus)

Time passed swiftly. Narcissa got her wish and became pregnant again. This time, the pregnancy was blissfully easy, and in due time a new Malfoy child was born. The baby was blonde and blue-eyed, like Narcissa herself. It was a sweet baby girl.

Draco immediately started his covert and overt campaign to name his sister. The name he'd come up with was Cassiopeia, and it could be adequately shortened to Cass, as Draco kept mentioning at the drop of a hat. Eventually he wore down the other Malfoys so much, they just caved in.  
They elected Iolande as godmother and Severus as godfather.  
During the ceremony, it was very satisfying for Draco to observe how perfectly Severus's hand fitted into that of Iolande's.

Soon it came Draco's turn to act as best man in Severus and Iolande's wedding. The bride wore a dazzling cream ensemble, with crinolines and organdy, made by a Muggle designer. She had apparently insisted that Severus should wear a tuxedo. Snape looked imposing in the suit, as always, but it was obvious to see that he considered it highly uncomfortable.

Harry noticed when Narcissa summoned a camera. Daphne also noticed her mother-in-law summoning_ her_ camera, and mayhem ensued. Harry and Draco were sure they were going to witness a spectacular catfight. They got near and were bitterly disappointed when the bickering Malfoy women apparently decided on a compromise.

When they returned from the honeymoon, Draco bound Severus's powers. It was a bit daunting to stand in front of your godfather and mentor and cast the spell that would halve the magical prowess, but he knew the women were relentless. And it seemed to be working in the case of his mother and father.

In the fullness of time, Snape house had a new heir, a small raven-haired boy, with pale skin and an attitude, who was named Iolus Snape, to honor his mother.

Deneb and Antares grew to be very close. It didn't matter that Antares had a small age advantage, Deneb proved hard to beat, both in the playpen and around the Manor. They acted more like twins that anything else, "the twins from hell" according to Draco. Of course such an accusation coming from Lord Malfoy's mouth could not be taken seriously, seeing as how he cherished and protected them.

Harry's reputation as a talented painter became global. He had people calling from Tokyo, New York or Moscow asking him to paint them a picture. Eventually, people nearly forgot that he was once the Boy Who Lived, seeing how he now was Master Potter, the most renowned artist in the world.

His work was very hard to pin down and categorize, he didn't dictate the terms of the painting, he seemingly invited the observers' opinions and worldviews to subtly point out features underrepresented and slowly arrive at a new consensus, which was sometimes freeing to the watchers, sometimes frightening.

Daphne Malfoy became a licensed Healer. She worked at St. Mungo's for two years, until such a time when she grew tired of the routine, the waste of talent as the jobs were filled according to blood status or Hogwarts house. Thereupon she quit and returned to life in the Manor, near her beloved former Seekers, the blond and the black-haired one.

Draco, to the growing annoyance of his mates, continued using intensively the computing equipment, not forgetting to magic it away when visiting Iolande; he continued running the Malfoy companies, and trying to inoculate the Ministry against revealing willy-nilly the Wizarding secrets.

Looking at the Ward books, Draco was pleased to note that there were still practitioners enough of the art of creating concealment wards so that they would always be updated with the latest discoveries. That would make it very much harder for nosy Muggles to find out about the Wizarding World and try to destroy it, as had happened in his future.

Andromeda kept her promise to care for Antares. Eventually, when the child was older, she revealed all about his original parents, what they had been like and how they had died. Harry added his private recollection of the conversation with Hermione to assure Antares that his mother wanted to stay with him very much, but she was cowardly killed by his once best friend.

Antares took to calling himself and responding to the name Teddy Lupin. Everyone expected Draco to blow a fuse, but he just smiled and took it in stride.

However, when Antares insisted in being called "Lupantar," Draco energetically put his foot down. To no one's surprise, he was joined by Daphne, Narcissa, Andromeda and Deneb.

Deneb asked tremulously if Antares didn't like him anymore. Antares answered that of course he liked his brother. Deneb replied dimly that they were named after two stars, and now Antares didn't want to be known as one anymore. He was seemingly deserting the Black tradition of star names, and he pointed toward a smiling Cass.

Deneb left the table and ran to his room. Antares hastily excused himself and ran to catch up with him, presumably to assure him that he would keep the name Antares.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Neville didn't go back with Ginny, although she tried time and again to get him to return, he couldn't. He would not soon forget the empty hours spent waiting for her, how she devoured easily the meal he had painstakingly cooked, and not even thanked him. How she appeared to flirt with the team members and was incensed when Neville called her on it.

He eventually got together with Hanna Abbott, who had worked as a Healer in the Hogwarts Infirmary. Hannah was a no-nonsense kind of woman, and she understood Neville's needs. How he wanted to be loved and protected, while also protecting his lover.

Although his plain exterior would seem to dictate otherwise, Neville was a deep, passionate person, with the urge to sometimes perform great deeds, sometimes teach a hidden lesson in humanity.

Neville and Hannah got married later, and Draco was Nev's best man, while Susan Bones was Hannah's maid of honor.

Ginny Weasley lived the great life as a celebrated Quidditch Seeker for some time, she partied hard. She had several boyfriends, none of which ever filled her needs. Eventually an injury caused her to drop Quidditch and it forced her to reevaluate her life and goals. She fell in love with the person who helped her to overcome the consequences of the injury, and eventually married him, Peter Saunce.

Percy Weasley, after a suitable amount of time spent garnering experience as the Undersecretary of Magic, was duly elected Minister of Magic. During election night, his surviving family was by his side. No one paid especial notice to the majestic Eagle owl who disdainfully stuck out his claw so that Percy would get the parchment.

_Studious Weasley,_

_Congratulations on becoming Minister. We look forward to working with you. Though we do not see eye to eye in some things, we know you'll prove a balanced point of view. Together we will guide the Wizarding World to hopefully better, more tranquil times._

_The Malfoy-Potters_

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

It became a custom for either Draco or Daphne to greet the other saying, "Seven years and a day!" or "Three years nine months!" They were playfully alluding to the time remaining until the conception of their son would occur.

At first Harry abhorred this custom quite strongly. He felt it debased the entire situation, it made fun of their son, and their efforts to get him back.

Time changes everything, though, and it changed Harry's opinion. He grew used to hearing the amount of time left. In fact, he wondered how he would fare when the Charm fulfilled its function and they didn't announce anything. He expected to feel a little lost.

He could feel the tension in the Silver trio when the time decreased to months. That year they spent three inordinately frisky months in the _Marauders' Cottage_. It seemed the nearness of the Conception was making all of them a little horny.  
Draco intimated to Harry that he could get an heir to Potter house by artificial insemination. Harry just declined the opportunity, inwardly he wanted to have his offspring only with Daphne.

The blonde had left that morning to visit a nearby hospital and analyze their Healing techniques. Draco turned to see his bedmate, a sprawling Harry, seemingly unaware of what was going to happen to him.

Draco cast a charm to take away both sets of clothes, and set to swallowing Harry whole. Needless to say, soon Harry was completely awake and aroused. Draco continued sucking, taking him down to the root.

Harry moaned brokenly, "I want you in me! Come on, fuck me!"

Draco wandlessly summoned a jar of lube and used his fingers to prepare Harry. Harry started thrusting back, seeking to impale himself in the long fingers. Soon Draco's member was at Harry's entrance and he pushed in. They made love energetically. They changed their positions after some minutes, Draco laid down and Harry crouched over him and slowly descended and rode his cock. Harry came hard, with a shout, and his spunk was sprayed all over his and Draco's chest. Draco came a little later inside Harry.

Harry got down and cuddled next to Draco. The blond asked, "Are you OK, Angel?" Harry replied, "Yes, I am. It's just that it feels so good, I never knew it would feel so good."

Draco asked concernedly, "Why would it surprise you so? Still thinking of the past?"

Harry answered succinctly, "All my time with the Dursleys, I thought I was lower than dirt. Then I discovered the Wizarding World and everything looked so promising, for a day or two! Ultimately I felt the entire hopes of the Wizarding World pinned on me. Everybody either worshipped me or hated me, like you."

"For a long time I envied and despised you. It was really a thrill to win over you, whether in Quidditch or duels, and it was always so easy. But I started to note how good you looked, how you always managed to stand up and fight the next day, how your hair shined in the bright light of day. Relentless voices inside my head became aware of these feelings and changed them to suit them. I realize now they were the commands of Hermione and the Protection Charm."

"I wanted to own you and break you, up to such a time as the voices were vanquished for good, thanks to you. I know that if I had been left to their tender mercies for longer, I would have become the person who haunted and tormented you."

"As it was, with no voices, I hardly knew where to start. People were hurting me, and you fought for me, like you've done before. You offered me a clean slate in which to rewrite our relationship. It hasn't been easy, but you're one of the few persons who have protected me when I needed it the most, who have in time forgiven me, and loved and nursed me back to health."

Harry kissed Draco with the energy of love fulfilled, and Draco kissed back as energetically.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco greeted Daphne cheerily, "Three months and four days!" Daphne kissed him and Harry and set down to have breakfast. Antares and Deneb had been restricted to their rooms because they had displeased their mother and aunt-grandmother Andromeda.

Apparently the two blonds had the makings to become notorious Black pranksters. Draco shuddered inwardly thinking of the dastardly pranks they would be subjected to from the twin menace. They had managed to scare Andromeda's owl so much, that the poor bird just up and died. Apparently they were aided in their delinquent activities by the irrepressible plushies, and it might be because the owl remembered being nearly mauled by the griffin, that his heart failed.

Andromeda was very saddened, because the owl was one of the few things that reminded her of life with Ted Tonks and Nymphadora. Narcissa was sympathetic, and had heatedly scolded her sons. Worse, she had forbidden Cass to play with them for a week. As they adored their sister, this was sure to cause a lot of discontent.

"Twenty-eight days!" greeted Daphne the blond Slytherin. Draco kissed her and then kissed Harry, nodding to a seemingly circumspect set of twins. After their latest escapade, Deneb and Antares had been forbidden to ride brooms. Seriously, who decided that riding a broom within the Manor was unsafe? Especially considering all the wards in operation.

Cass just took her customary bowl of cereal, intent on remaining thin, she listened to what her Dwa had told her. Her brother had expounded on the theories of a healthful diet, never realizing that he wasn't talking to a full-grown woman, but a small girl.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

"Three days!" whispered Draco to his Green Eyes on Monday. He held her hands tightly, and didn't notice her looking stealthily at Harry. For his part, Harry had a restless nervous energy that he couldn't seem to shake off, no matter what he did.

He'd tried painting, exercising, hexing unseen opponents, the twitch was still there. Obviously the blonds were feeling that too.

For a change, the younger Malfoys had behaved OK. No signs of pranks from Ant and Deneb, Cass was her charming self. Everybody looked well, even Iolus Snape, who was visiting them and obviously trying to intimidate them through a patented Snape scowl.

Unfortunately, it didn't work at all. No matter that his dad was the Headmaster, Iolus was just one among many in the Malfoy brood, and that became him.

Daphne announced to the family that she and her mates would spend a fortnight in the _Marauders' Cottage_. Ant and Deneb tried to invite themselves along, Cass pouted and Iolus smirked, eventually they were forced to yield to the Malfoy-Potters..

The Silver trio left for Canada . They wanted to have the relative isolation of their Canadian home for what would surely be an adventurous journey. That night, Daphne asked her blond mate to lay off with saying the number of days, for a while.

They visited Toronto, went sailing in the Great Lakes, and returned home exhausted.

On Thursday, after Draco had to leave for the North-American office of the companies, Daphne was left alone with Harry, and she wanted to try something new. She went to the living room where Harry was and proceeded to kiss him senseless. He weakly asked, "Do you want this, Daph? What about the Charm?"

Daphne replied, "It will be OK, believe me Harry."

Daphne muttered a spell to vanish their clothing, and then impaled herself on Harry's fat red cock. Harry pounded into her hard and fast, spurred by her moans and cries. Then he came, and Daphne got off him. Daphne asked Harry to keep the act secret between them for now, as she didn't want to worry Draco more. Harry agreed.

Draco returned at night, he felt an immense pull to be near Daphne, to lose himself in her Green Eyes and her generous body. He imagined Daphne felt the same. When he got to the cottage he just grabbed Daphne and carried her bridal style into the bedroom. Harry had made himself scarce painting a landscape.

Draco vanished their clothes, and he started thrusting into Daphne hard and fast. The blonde answered in kind, and they knew that the act would'nt last long. The relentlessness pushing them together, the magic making their union fruitful was just too much to ever resist for long.

Draco came and a little later Daphne did too. There were the typical aftereffects of orgasm, of course, but there was also the fulfillment of a debt, the completion of a journey, the weary light of day leaving the sky as one rejoices in the company of one's friends. All these feelings were called up and used to express that the Conception Charm had done its duty.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

They had their confirmation the next month, and it was a very trying month for one Harry Potter, having to suffer through the antics of his mates. Even though they had felt the Conception Charm's sense of completion, they still were fearful to put all their hopes in the one basket. Near the end of that period, Harry wanted to curse them really bad.

They found out that Daphne was pregnant through a Muggle pregnant kit! When Harry asked why they didn't go to a reputable Healer, Daphne replied coolly that they didn't want anyone looking over their baby. When the time came, Healer Iolande would deliver the baby. No one else need apply.

Daphne grew more beautiful with the pregnancy, according to Harry and Draco. However, to Harry's untrained eye, she looked too heavy sometimes. He had once expressed his concerns that maybe she was eating too much or something, in order to look so_ rounded_, thereupon, he was smacked upside the head and Daphne ran from the room crying.

Harry learned to keep his observations about this to himself. If he had commented something to Draco, then perhaps the blond would have used his eidetic memory and compared the two pregnancies, and come to some startling conclusions.

Surprisingly Ant and Deneb proved to be valuable team players, being assured that they would soon have a nephew to play with. Of course, this made them feel a little older, and hopefully a little more mature. Cass was intrigued by the possibility of having a _niece,_ which the wily Slytherin Prince had dangled in front of her.

Narcissa, Andromeda and Lucius pampered Daphne. Thankfully the blonde was not a despot, yet, and her demands were to have someone who would read to her and massage her feet from time to time, which her mates were eager to do.

One day, the Silver trio was sitting in the dining room when a barn owl swooped in. It had a letter from Neville, the Valedictorian was in a very good mood because he and Hannah had just had a baby boy, who they would call Ernest Longbottom. Draco commented that it was great news, because he and Scorpius could be friends.

Harry countered with the notion that they might detest each other, like he and Draco did. Draco replied that they'd make sure that the boys knew about each other before their Hogwarts meeting.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHR

Eventually, the time of labor came. Daphne had insisted that she would deliver Scorpius in the_ Marauders' Cottag_e. Draco strenuously refused, however, and insisted that it be done in the Manor. He wanted to be near more people and help in case something went wrong. Harry supported this decision and Daphne had to concur.

Iolande appeared and labor started. It lasted an inordinately long amount of time, according to Harry. He could hear Daphne's hoarse shouts, and it nagged at him that he couldn't do something to help her.

Draco paced to and fro, in front of Lucius and Severus. Narcissa and Andromeda tried to defuse tension relating incidents pertaining to their own labors, but in Harry's honest opinion, no one wanted to listen to that.

Antares, Deneb and Cass were huddled in a corner, playing the wizard version of Monopoly, which Harry knew for a fact had been tampered with by Draco so that Cass would always win.

Iolande opened the door and called for Draco. The blond Slytherin went to the door, took a peek inside and beheld a small figure swaddled in clothes, with wisps of hair as silver as his own, a glimpse of the baby's eyes showed them to be blue.

Then he chanced to look somewhere else in the room, and he couldn't stand the surprise.

He fainted

tbc


	38. The real menace

Harry noticed when Draco keeled over. He just chortled, and started to imagine the endless ways in which he was going to taunt Draco for this. Maybe it was because he finally got to see his son after so many years. At any rate, Harry was highly amused as he made his way to the door and peered inside. He was able to see a small figure swaddled in clothes, with wisps of platinum-blond hair, that could only be Scorpius. Then he noticed there was something else, and when he realized what it was, he couldn't handle the surprise and he … fainted dead away.

The irate voice of Daphne could be heard saying, "These good for nothing mates of mine, I am the one who does all the work and suffers for hours on end, and you louts have the grace to faint at my door! How rude!"

Daphne called, "Ant, Deneb, Iolus and Cass, please bring my excitable mates and put them on that bed, while I take care of my babies."

The younger Malfoys knew to follow with alacrity the orders given by an incensed Daphne. Iolus sneered, but complained nonetheless. He knew how inflexible Daphne could get. They put the blond and black-haired Seeker on the bed.

Eventually the Seekers woke up and beheld a wondrous sight, Daphne was on the bed, her face still red and strained by the labor, she was holding two small bundles, one held a blond baby and the other had a baby with a shock of black hair, that promised to withstand the best efforts of brushes later on.

The babies were passed around the Malfoys, Andromeda, Severus and Iolande. Ant and Deneb were really taken in by the _bona fide _twins, Cass looked a little disappointed that none of them was a girl like she wanted, but she still intended to get to know them.

Andromeda and Narcissa took a twin each. They marveled that the troublesome young men and woman had finally found peace, and were able to bring such treasure into the world.

Then came the turn for Lucius, he held the future of house Malfoy, and couldn't help but shudder at the memories of the monstrous things that the boys had had to overcome to come to this point. Lucius shed a tear or two, because he never thought he would live to be a grandparent, and that's what he was.

Severus held the small Scorpius in his arms, and remembered once holding a similar frail-looking Draco when he was born. He remembered how torn he had been when he'd been named his godfather. Truly he didn't want the responsibility, but soon he came to care for Draco. His curiosity and stern will were some of his characteristics that inevitably led him to trouble. Later he mourned when he appeared to fall prey to Lucius's rhetoric. He didn't doubt for a second when Narcissa asked of him the Unbreakable Vow, for he was intent on saving his godson.

In the end, he didn't. It was Draco who saved him and brought him back from the dead and gave him the opportunity to live a life of fulfillment with his family. He had a feeling that a promise made to the world long ago had been fulfilled today.

Daphne explained patiently to them, "I am a Healer and know intimately the rhythms of the body, I've also taken Genetics and Obstetrics courses in Muggle universities. When the time for the conception came, I knew there was a chance that I could get pregnant by both Draco and Harry. I made love with you, Harry, and later on with Draco. I became pregnant. I didn't want to jinx in any way the pregnancy so I prevailed on having only Iolande as Healer. I'm sorry Draco, if you think that I would willingly put in danger Scorpius's presence with us, but I had to give Harry what he wanted so desperately."

"You haven't seen him as I have, gazing at the children and obviously yearning to have one of his own. Now he does, and I'm sure he will make a wonderful father."

Draco answered gruffly, "You put yourself at some risk, Daphne, concocting this scheme and guiding it to a successful ending." Listening to Draco, it was easy to imagine shades of jealousy that maybe a scheme of hers works so flawlessly, when he had to work so hard on his own plots. He continued, "I just wished you'd told me, on second thought, no, I'm glad you kept it to yourself. I would have died of nerves. I have also seen the eyes of our Angel as he gazes at the children in the parks and schools, I know he yearned for one of his own, and now he has two. Well, done, Green Eyes."

Harry was close to tears as he held his son and counted his fingers. The baby had a strong grip on his father's hand, and Harry delightedly pointed out that it would mean he could be a good Quidditch player. Harry said, "Thank you for my son, Daphne. I never imagined I would have one so soon. I always tended to think about him in terms of several years of waiting. You and Draco have given me a family and my son, and for that you have my endless love."

Daphne was alarmed to note a glint in Draco's eyes, which he generally had when he was in the grip of a wonderful idea or plot to put in execution. Whatever it was, it behooved her to make sure that it didn't affect her sons.

Draco asked Harry, "Any idea how you are going to call your son?"

Harry replied dreamily, "He'll be Sirius Potter-Malfoy."

Draco countered, "That sounds good, but you have to take into account that he is Scorpius's twin. I think his name should reflect that and also give grandeur on its own. I have the perfect name: Sagittarius."

Harry sputtered and muttered, "I'm not going to call my son that! What's with you and names?"

Things looked ready for a heated confrontation, when they were diffused by Daphne's eminently reasonable words, "Why don't you have a game of Quidditch one on one and the winner gets to name him?"

Grudgingly Harry and Draco made their way to the pitch, after having Daphne inspect the Golden Snitch – and surreptitiously swish and flick her wand a little – Daphne had of course confiscated temporarily the time-turner. She had also insisted that Cass should be the referee, as her decisions were very wise.

The game ended in a draw, as Daphne could have foretold them, the Golden Snitch functioned exactly as it should have under her nifty spell. As a result, the baby boy would be known as Sirius Sagittarius Potter-Malfoy. Harry would be appalled to learn that people apparently liked Sagittarius so much better than Sirius and that's how they called the boy: Sagittarius Potter – Malfoy.

Later, it became apparent that Scorpius had the stormy grey-eyes of his father, and Sagittarius had the green-eyed intensity of his father. Draco was determined to find out if it was really Scorpius, so he descended into the thought-universe, the world of exact memories, and proceeded to compare the physical features of Scorpius then and now. He came to the conclusion that they were the same. It was indeed Scorpius who was with him at long last.

Antares finally relinquished control over his plushies and gave them to the twins. So it came to pass that Scorpius was jealously guarded by the dragon and Sagittarius by the griffin.

Two years later, Daphne got pregnant again. The pregnancy did not cause any trouble. In due time, Daphne delivered a baby girl, with black hair and green eyes.

When Draco was about to comment about a wonderful name he had for the baby, the baleful stares of his mates made him pause. Inwardly he considered that it was a pity that they couldn't sustain that deadly scowl for long, or the basilisks would be given a run for their money.

He conceded and left them to choose the name of their daughter. They picked Iris Potter-Malfoy.

Draco inwardly crooned about having chosen the names of 5 babies, a quite large amount, if he did say so himself.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Draco still was completely immersed in running the Malfoy companies, and looking out for the Wizarding World. He had a substantial number of people working with the Muggles who reported to him. He didn't completely trust the efficiency of the Ministry, or the response capacity of the Muggles themselves.

Working near the Muggle hotbed of sedition he had two moles. He had considered the question long and hard, and decided that the only coin that would bring respect would be the fulfillment of their dreams.

He invited Isaac Applegate and Ronald Whiteshire to his offices in London, he explained to them about the Wizarding World, his position in it. He took out a Pensieve and plucked a memory for them to experience. It was their trip to the Amazon Preserve. The men could hear and sense the cacophony of the jungle, the effects of the _Fidelius _as it was being cast, they realized that the lungs of the world were safe, thanks to the man in front of them.

Draco then took a small dagger and obtained drops of blood from both of them, he used a spell to make sure they wouldn't repeat that information anywhere else. From now on, Draco knew he could count on them.

The world apparently has a knack for the absurd. It came to pass that once again nuclear weapons were being directed against Harry Potter in Malfoy Manor.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

The first thing that Draco noticed was the lack of contact of Isaac Applegate. The man usually sent an e-mail first thing on Mondays to let him know what the people had planned on the weekends. He didn't receive any news, nor when he contacted other sites of interest.

Almost a week later, a bedraggled-looking barn owl, looking as if it didn't eat enough, made her way to the Manor and Draco's office. She deposited a small letter in his desk. Draco hurriedly told the owl to fly to the Owlery and he sent a House elf to get her a good meal.

He inspected the letter for Dark magic and found none. It was a Muggle missive, with a number of stamps. Draco thought that he letter had been unable to penetrate the Manor wards and was rejected, and only when it was noticed by an enterprising wizard and sent via owl did it reach him.

With a sense of foreboding, Draco read:

_Dear Mr. Malfoy:_

_If you are reading this, I am surely dead. They know about me, I don't know how. I've escaped them for a bit, but they will find me. As I wait for my fate, I cannot help but remember the glorious green of the Amazon Preserve. You have given a powerful push to us and our descendants. This I must protect at all costs. They want to destroy you._

_They learned about Harry Potter, that before he was a celebrated painter he was a powerful wizard. They want to get rid of him as a signal to attack the wizards. They are fools!_

_Powerful fools, though. They managed to find a way to disrupt and negate magic in a given area, and that coupled with a nuclear device, is what they want to unleash at your home. I think they will attack on March 23__rd_

_Luck,_

_Applegate._

Draco hastily checked the date on his laptop and found that it was March 23rd. The Slytherin Prince still had one ace in the hole, but he wasn't willing to risk his mates, children and family to the vagaries of fate.

He understood the construction and operation mode of the Vanishing Cabinets, and knew that they didn't require magic for their operation. They relied on a physical discontinuity in space-time. True, they needed magic to set them up and contact for the first time the exiting and arriving points, but they worked magic-less from that point on.

The trouble was with the Malfoys and Malfoy-Potters and all of them being too stubborn to know what was for their own good. At the same time, he didn't relish the prospect of tricking them and having to deal with an irate bunch of blonds afterwards.

He made his way to the kitchen, and sent Cass and Deneb to fetch all the others. He explained the situation to them all. Antares and Deneb wanted to stay and fight, Cass wanted to flee, Lucius and Narcissa wanted to stay, along with the rest of them.

Draco chastised them, "I need to stay here and deal with this, but I'm not willing to put in jeopardy the future of the Malfoy-Potters! You will make sure that your children are safe, Lucius and Narcissa, and you will make sure about yours, Daphne and Harry! Aunt Andromeda, we need you, you must go!"

His mates looked thunderous and obviously wanted to make their displeasure known. Draco took out his time-turner and prepared to use it, and nothing happened, which didn't surprise him as he felt the wards fall.

Either the time-turner was defective, or the anti-magic shield had been put in operation already. He acquainted the others of this important fact and led them to the Vanishing Cabinet.

Grudgingly his brothers and sister left, accompanied by his parents. Then followed Daphne with her two sons and daughter, she was glaring daggers at Draco. Andromeda left, mustering a sad look at Draco. However, Harry refused to go, instead saying that he would face the problem with him till the end.

Draco tried to calm Harry telling them that if a nuclear bomb went off in their vicinity, they would never know what hit them. It would be a clean way to exit. He also hinted that other developments may come to pass, developments which Draco had prepared years in advance.

Harry asked where the other Vanishing Cabinet was, and Draco replied that it was in _Marauders' Cottage._ Harry shuddered, thinking of his precious paintings left at the mercies of the notoriously destructive blond and black-haired bunch. Draco commented that he had put a ward on his studio before they left, so his things should remain undisturbed.

Harry heatedly kissed the blond, and only interrupted his ministrations when the blond's stomach growled, alerting them to the fact that he hadn't eaten anything for some hours.

Draco called on Trini to get them something to eat. After the elf had prepared dishes full of scrambled eggs, fried tomatoes and treacle tart, Draco and Harry fell to with a vengeance.

Draco ordered Trini to notify all the Manor elves to go to the summer residence in Italy for the moment. When the elves left, the Manor was left bereft of life, with only Draco and Harry. Not even when Voldemort was prowling around had the Manor looked so forlorn and sad, and Draco hoped that it wasn't a harbinger of things to come.

Two hours later, as Harry was telling Draco about the latest twin prank of Antares and Deneb, the blond interrupted him, saying, "Listen!"

Draco continued, "There's something coming, let's go to the garden and see what it is."

They left the house and entered the garden and they saw in the distance a rapidly approaching black thing that moved serenely in the air. Much too noisy to be a dragon, much too ominous to be a plane.

It turned out to be an Apache helicopter. When the pilot apparently had identified several landmarks, he let loose the warhead it carried. The bomb gracefully arced in the air as it inexorably descended to the ground, while the helicopter turned tail and ran home, not without Draco noticing its registration number.

The bomb crashed in the garden and both Harry and Draco expected to be engulfed in a fire of elemental atoms, but nothing happened.

Harry didn't want to get close to the bomb, but the mechanically-minded Draco knew he had the find of a lifetime, a _bona fides_ nuclear bomb thar didn't go off. Draco had an inkling that he knew the reason it failed.

Eventually they got to the bomb and Draco proceeded to open it, how did he know how to open that artifact, Harry wasn't sure. He just did. Perusing the bomb carcass, Draco found that a circuit had been removed, and there was a thin piece of parchment in its place.

Draco took it out and read:

_They are mad. Beware of them at 456 Saville Road. Beware of the black Wizard!_

Harry and Draco felt at that moment that the wards had come up again. Draco felt almost home, until he noticed that they were not alone. Apparently there was another wizard with them.

The man walked into the light and turned out to be Kingsley Shacklebolt. He taunted them about having become so sure in their inane everyday life that they didn't consider old perils.

Shacklebolt gleefully told them how he had been obliviated of most of his life and his magic seemingly taken from him. He traveled abroad and got to know a Healer that proceeded to Kiss him and heal his soul, bringing back his power and his memory.

He intended to torment them as much as he had been tormented himself. He gleefully confessed divulging information to the Muggles. He had expected the Manor to go up in smokes, when it didn't, he went to investigate.

Shacklebolt took out his wand and whipped it in Harry's direction. Harry and Draco would be too late to mount an effective response.

Draco refused to let it end like this, let Harry's life be stilled on this day by such a crackpot. His iron will manifested itself, and as Shacklebolt was shouting "_Avada kedavra!"_ Draco stepped in front of the Killing Curse meant for Harry, denying its action with every fiber of his will.

There was a moment when the bright green light almost blinded Harry. He had seen Draco step in front of him, and the thought of the blond, dead, made him want to throw up. But the light didn't touch them. It hung one or two seconds in mid-air and started to retreat the way it had come, it arced back to Shacklebolt. The black wizard received the full blast of his Killing Curse and died instantly.

This time Draco sent a Patronus message to the rest of the family, informing them that things were all right, but there was some cleaning to do. He suggested they return the day after.

Draco reminded a still dazzled Harry about the peculiar feature of the descendants of the Prince of Atlantis to circumvent the Killing Curse.

Then Draco called his office in London and got them to come over and take away the ominous bomb. He directed the Ministry's attention to the suspicious activities in 456 Saville Road. He gave them the license number of the attacking helicopter. He started a search for Whiteshire, though he suspected he wouldn't find him. He had obviously been killed by the crazy Muggles.

After he'd called back the House elves and set them to fix the garden, he cuddled with Harry for a long time, just having the luxury of having his mate near him.

Draco pushed eventually for a harsh sentence for the conspirators. They were sent to Azkaban for life, even though they were Muggles. Draco didn't intend to trust them around other Muggles, even in prison.

tbc


	39. Epilogue redux

_Don't ask me  
What you know is true  
Don't have to tell you  
I love your precious heart_

_I was standing  
You were there  
Two worlds collided  
And they could never tear us apart_

_We could live  
For a thousand years  
But if I hurt you  
I'd make wine from your tears_

_I told you  
That we could fly  
'Cause we all have wings  
But some of us don't know why  
_Never tear us apart,_ (Andrew Farris, Michael Hutchence)_

The old train station prepared this morning to receive its visitors, its imposing façade looking out at a vibrant London, the rails leading to far away places in the United Kingdom. The station withstood the impermanence of its visitants since 1852, but today was a special day. They would receive the influx of Wizarding travelers, the parents and their children who would board the Hogwarts Express and go to magical school.

The first visitors of the day arrived and soon many more followed. At 10.05 AM, a contingent of blonds made their entrance. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy entered, still as youthful as ever, followed by their irrepressible offspring: Antares, Deneb and Cass.  
Deneb was casually trying to pass something along to Antares, possibly a prank, until Cass roughly grabbed the offending item and with a heated glare, summarily dismissed the two blonds from her.

A little while later, two boys who appeared to be twins followed: Scorpius Malfoy-Potter and Sagittarius Potter-Malfoy. Scorpius looked exactly like an eleven year old Draco, and Sagi resembled eerily his father Harry, he even insisted in wearing the same kind of glasses. They hastily got trolleys to haul their trunks and their owls' cages. Their sister Iris was trailing them, seemingly engrossed in reading Witch Weekly. Andromeda Tonks was a few steps behind. The matriarch was obviously angry at Antares and Deneb for some prank.

The Silver Trio entered. Daphne Malfoy, still looking as ethereal and beautiful as all those years ago, was toting a Notebook, and appeared to be dragging a reluctant Harry Potter on to the station. Harry looked dashing, his untamable mop of hair seemed as wild as ever, despite the continued battle of his mates to tame it. Harry also looked a little bored, until he happened to glance in the direction of his mate and noticed his rosy lips forming a slight pout.

Draco Malfoy sauntered in looking like he owned the place. He still looked nearly the same as he had after the Battle. His mop of blond hair still dazzled the eye and remained as thick as always. His chiseled features commanded attention, like they constantly did. His gaze drifted continually to his mates, his children and his family.

The youths prepared to make the traditional voyage to Platform 9 3/4. Once inside, Draco bought some sweets from a vendor and gave them to his children and Cass.  
The Malfoy-Potters were rudely interrupted by a pack of reporters, who shouted, "There's the Boy Who lived!"

Immediately they converged around Deneb and started asking about his plans. Some wayward Death Eaters had told the reporters about the Dark Lord's resurrection and final defeat at the hands of the child of Prophecy, Deneb Malfoy.

There was a relentless pressure to idolize Deneb, and only the Malfoy-Potters considerable power and status kept the press and the public in check. Harry had reflected bitterly that a similar protection scheme could have been worked out on his behalf, given his family and Dumbledore's power, but nothing was done and Harry was left alone, to face the glaring beasts on his own.

The reporters, after having received simple answers from Deneb, took notice of Harry. Immediately they surrounded him shouting questions. Harry decided to answer one of them. A reporter for the _Quibbler _asked, "Master Potter, is it true that you are planning to hold an exposition devoted to your work in the Magical Wing of the Louvre?"

Harry answered, "Yes, I am planning that. The details are being finalized and I only have to discuss some things with the curators."  
The reporters left after trying to wiggle an interview with Healer Malfoy, thereupon Draco thundered and curtly bid them adieu.  
Harry was a little nervous about the exhibit. It would highlight his career, and he intended to show a picture he had been working on for more than ten years.  
_Silver Trio on a Cliff:_ Daphne, Draco and himself at the top of a cliff, facing cheerfully the morning dawn.  
Their faces showed expectations of love, family and life. So many years later, it warmed Harry's heart that the promises had been amply fulfilled, and would continue to be so for however long the world allowed.

Harry had been doubtful about finishing this picture. It seemed to contain such an important part of his life. As long as he continued adding details, he didn't have to end it. In a way, it felt like closing a door to a room he wouldn't be returning to, it was that final. Eventually he realized that endings may turn into beginnings.

Harry reflected that it had been 19 years since Voldemort disappeared, since he had felt strange powers and voices controlling him so subtly that they made him a toy to fulfill someone's crazy plans. The scar didn't tingle anymore, but Harry knew now not to rely on appearances. He would meet each peril as they came, rejoicing in the warmth provided by his mates and family.

Suddenly Scorpius shouted, "Hey, Ernie's here!" The Malfoy-Potters turned to watch the Longbottoms: Neville, his wife Hannah and son Ernest. Nev nodded curtly and Draco nodded back, thereupon Neville rushed to Draco and hugged him, as well as Harry and Daphne.  
Andromeda, Narcissa, Lucius and Draco took advantage of the arrivals and motioned for Antares and Deneb to accompany them. They walked until they were in another aisle. Antares and Deneb fidgeted, figuring they would be chastised for another prank.

Lucius started gently, "Don't worry, it's not about pranks. It's about your future. Both of you are now adult wizards. We would like you to have an adult perspective and power."

Narcissa continued, "Antares, I know how much you delight in risk-taking and difficult assignments. We would like you to be near the Amazon Preserve, to take a role in defending the world's future. You would find that your skills are needed, you would be trained in new ones. With time, you would eventually come to direct the operations. Of course you will be on your own, and none of us would use our position to help you, if you do not develop as you can."

"Deneb, there was a new position opening in St. Mungo's that requires a Healer Apprentice. Your aunt Iolande and your sister Daphne put a word about you, and you have been offered it."

Andromeda added, "I want to stress that we just want you to fulfill your potential. You are free to choose neither one, you are free to arrange something in which the two of you work together. We will support you."  
Antares asked, "What do you advice, Dwa?"

Draco replied, "I can't answer that. What I would prefer would be to have you near us at the Manor for always, but I've noticed how you sometimes get a faraway look as if you dreamed of adventures, and Deneb tries to surreptitiously read Healing books. What I want to say is that it is OK to have such dreams, and if you decide to separate for now, that doesn't mean that it will always remain so. You share ties of blood and bonds of love that are unbreakable. I just want you to develop your potential for the best."

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Ernest, Scorpius and Sagi started talking. The boys were no strangers, because they had seen each other at least twice a year for some time now. Antares and Deneb later joined the talk.

When Scorpius needled Antares about having kissed Mary Abbott, the Metamorphmagus retaliated with some choice bad news. Scorpius became agitated and looked at Harry with beseeching eyes. Harry motioned for him to go outside. Presently he joined him and Scorpius revealed that Antares had gleefully sprung the news that Iolus Snape would be the Potions assistant. He was serving as apprentice to the Potions Master, his father. He was rumored to be as strict as Severus.

Harry was flabbergasted and decided to get the big guns, Draco and Daphne. After the blonds had been called and apprised of the situation, Daphne took control and just said nonchalantly, "What you and Sagi and Ernest have to do, if Iolus proves recalcitrant, is consult aunt Iolande. She will put a stop to any posturing. If the situation is still unmanageable, I urge you to go to the Head of Gryffindor, your uncle Neville. Should you need it, write to us. We will go there at once and we will use our influence in the Board of Governors."

"Do try to get along if you can, but if you can't, we are behind you."

When Draco returned to the others, he realized that Sagi was very nervous. He unobtrusively pointed to the door, and he and Sagi left to buy more sweets. Draco asked softly, "What's up, Sagi?"  
Sagi replied, "Dad, I'm worried that I will be sorted into Slytherin, and Daddy won't like it."

Draco answered, "We will accept wherever you are put. If Scorpius is put into Hufflepuff, then that's good for him. If you're put into Slytherin or Gryffindor, then that's good. Whatever works for you is OK with us. Trust me, I know Harry. He wouldn't hold it against you. Moan about it, yes, but he would understand, given that he was almost put into Slytherin himself."

Draco mused that it was Scorpius who seemed to confide more in Harry than him, and it was Sagi who seemed to have found him a better confidant than Harry. Apparently whatever distinguished Harry and Draco so much also acted on their sons, and as a result the boys looked for a closer ear in the opposite father.

Through the years he had watched their beloved faces grow old. With Sagi, his green eyes sometimes shined with the wisdom and restraint of Daphne, sometimes appeared to have the passion and fire of Harry.

Soon they were joined by their former classmates. Blaise and Pansy showed up. After a tumultuous love affair, Blaise finally got the presence of mind and calm needed to propose to Pansy, he made the point that both of them had had crushes on Draco, so apart from similar tastes, they had the blond as a common thread. She accepted, although smirking all the way. They had a son called Etienne Zabini.

Millicent traveled for a year around the world, and found in America a fellow witch that fulfilled her dearest fantasies. In due time she married Althea Blackstone. They had a daughter called Constanza Bulstrode.

Gregory Goyle found solace in the arms of a fellow Wizard, a German called Hans-Peter Drassten. They adopted a baby wizard and named him Vincent Goyle, which brought a tear to Goyle's and Draco's eyes from time to time.

Draco was left alone for a few moments in the hullabaloo caused by the Slytherins and their progeny.  
He mused about reality. In his mind's eye, he still endured sometimes the torment they had caused Scorpius, he wondered which Scorpius was more real, the one here or in the alternate future. However that was answered, he knew in his heart this was irrefutably Scorpius, albeit a freer, more opinionated and daring individual, which could come from having grown up with two sets of grandparents, two uncles, one aunt, his twin and his sister.

He intuited that posing this question was useless. There are perhaps areas that are better left alone, unobserved, at least while he lingered in this realm.

Whenever he felt very sad, he relied on the hard-earned wisdom of Daphne and the endless fortitude of Harry to support him and lend him strength.

HRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRH

Harry noticed Draco's distress and hastened to comfort him, and they soon engaged in a heated kiss, to no one's surprise. Soon they were joined by Daphne, and the Silver trio held the others close to their hearts.

Later, after Daphne had taken some photos, she pocketed her camera and went on to talk with her friends. She waited until the Wizarding photo was ready and then gave it to Iris. She looked at Narcissa and nodded, signifying that they would share the loot. At first she had been really angry at her for taking her camera without asking, but soon they got to talking and decided to join resources. Narcissa had conveniently told her how to get instant Wizarding photo equipment, and they agreed to share the spoils. It was a simple matter to buy another camera so whenever any blonde needed it, it would appear.

Daphne cast her eyes toward her sons, daughter and family. She felt proud, a sense of accomplishment swelled up in her that eclipsed that caused by the Conception Charm. She saw Iris looking downcast, though, and she bade for her to sit next to her.

Daphne tried to get information out of her and controlled her temper. Iris was just as stubborn as Harry and Draco _combined_, which amounted to a large quantity. Eventually she confessed that she was sorry to see her brothers go. They would have fun at Hogwarts and forget about her. She'd be unutterably bored!

Daphne wondered for a second about her daughter's precision in her language, but she shouldn't be so surprised, Iris read a lot. That gave her an idea.

She started softly, "You know, Millie has another daughter, Besen, she is as old as you. I'm sure I can arrange for you to visit with her." Now for the Slytherin twist, "She lives near a public library, and she likes to read a lot, perhaps you both will go there and have some fun."

Iris's face lit up and she enthused, "That'd be all right, Mother!" Her twin brothers were seemingly forgotten, and it looked like she might have a good time after all.

The moment they would leave approached relentlessly. Scorpius got close to Draco and hugged him fiercely. Draco held him just as strongly. Scorpius asked hesitantly, "Will you still want me if I go to Gryffindor? You're always commenting how awful they are."

Draco looked directly into his son's eyes, the same shade of grey as his, and replied confidently, "I will always want you, Scorpius. I loved you for so many years before you were born. You are one of the best things that have happened to me. I would change reality to have you in it, I would defy the Dementors for you. You can do what you want, I will support you always."

Soon came the time for the budding wizards and witches to board the Hogwarts Express. After many hugs and surreptitious tears, the young ones left and boarded the train. The older ones started to leave Platform 9¾.

No one appeared to notice as a Wizarding photo slid forlornly to the floor. It depicted a veritable tribe of blonds and also some outstanding black-haired individuals. The photo seemingly captured an eternal instant where their feelings flew free, like butterfly wings.

And reality grew ever more complex, unfettered by any magic, free to choose its venue, thanks to the Unsung Hero and his mates.

The old train station continued to receive visitors intent on traveling to remote parts of the United Kingdom. Near Platform 9¾ the Hogwarts Express began its journey toward Hogwarts, bearing precious treasure. Inside the Platform, the magical doors were about to be closed and the floor cleaned when a lone figure approached the place where the photo was.

Thin and long fingers, pale as alabaster, reached out to grab the photo. The man smiled lovingly at his family. He carefully folded the photo and put it inside his Armani jacket, right beside the others he always kept near his heart. Draco Malfoy would always care for photographs of his family, because they had brought him strength and belief and courage.

THE END


End file.
